Mikal Bridges took a big step forward after the Suns sent him to the Nets in the Kevin Durant trade.
The 26-year-old small forward became the star of his new team. He had multiple 40-point and 30-point game, helping Brooklyn stay in position to clinch a direct playoff spot.
Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn has already said that his new player can get even better and he echoed that sentiment again.
Via Brian Lewis of New York Post:
“A lot more room on the plate,” Nets head coach Jacque Vaughn said with a smile. “Just overall his ability to handle the basketball, I think, is the next thing for him. In a lineup, could he be out there and handle [the ball] by himself, just with other wing players around him? His ability to play pick-and-roll even more and be a distributor for us.
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“Because he’s just going to gain so much attention now these days, can he be a decoy at times? And learning when to be a decoy and how to use that for the benefit of his teammates. So there’s a lot still that he can learn, for sure.”
Since getting traded to the Nets, Bridges is averaging 27.2 points (previously – 17.2 points per game for the Suns), 4.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists in 35.5 minutes per game.