Mikal Bridges is in many ways the face of the Brooklyn Nets now. Following the Nets’ failed superteam run with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, Bridges has now been brought in to kickstart a rebuild. Speaking to Sirius XM NBA Radio, the former Suns star delved into the various adjustments he has had to make. As things stand, he is raking in a relatively team-friendly $21,700,000. However, it must be noted that this sum could go up as high as $28,000,000 with incentives.
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Now the main guy on the roster, there is a lot of pressure on his shoulders. Nevertheless, as he explained in the interview, he is looking forward to the challenge and is hoping to grow and learn with the experience.
Mikal Bridges is looking forward to the challenge of being the “main guy” on the Brooklyn Nets
Recently, Mikal Bridges was interviewed by Sirius XM NBA Radio, where he spoke in detail about his new role with the Brooklyn Nets. Having played no more than 27 games with the team, he is already the face of the franchise. As such, the upcoming season is sure to be a challenge here. Nevertheless, as Bridges informed the interviewer, he is looking forward to the challenge.
Bridges joined the team at the trade deadline and went off immediately. In the 27 games he played last season with the Nets, he averaged 26 points, four rebounds, and a steal per game. But, what makes him such a great player is the fact that he is a problem for opponents on both ends of the court. Over the course of his six seasons in the NBA, he has established himself as a great two-way player.
With no high-profile players to take the ‘main man’ role, Bridges is expected to step up to the plate. And, the best part is that he is looking forward to it. After all, he sees it as a chance to grow and keep building toward becoming an NBA great.
“It’s challenging, but that’s what you want. But, that’s what you want. I’d rather be in this position than any other. So, excited to take on the challenge, but just growing. That’s the big thing. It’s that I grow, and the reason why I grow is because I’m willing to learn and willing to fail to get there. So, it’s been good, I like the challenge, and just gonna keep building.”
Nets fans will be looking forward to seeing what Bridges brings to the team this season. He certainly impressed in the few games he played last season. But, he has spent most of his time in the league as a solid 3&D guy on the Suns. So, there will be concerns about how he will adapt to this new star role. Hopefully, things work out for him in Brooklyn.
Bridges isn’t alone in Brooklyn as he also has a former All-Star, Ben Simmons playing alongside him
There can be no denying that Mikal Bridges is now the star player for the Brooklyn Nets. However, he is not alone in the Barclays Center. Bridges also has Ben Simmons, a former All-Star, who is also looking to redefine himself. A player, who has suffered from some major back issues over the years.
But, with the 2023-2024 season around the corner, Simmons is looking good. He is finally back after all the back issues and is feeling incredible. So much so, that he is expecting to have a great bounce-back season with the Nets.
There are some interesting times ahead for the Brooklyn Nets. With a completely revamped roster, there is no telling how the season will go for them. But, two things are for sure. One, they will be excited to see Bridges take over as the star player. And two, they will hold onto hope that Simmons comes back looking better than ever this season.
