BROOKLYN – The Brooklyn Nets have acquired forwards Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson and draft compensation in a four-team trade with the Phoenix Suns, Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers. Brooklyn acquired Bridges, Johnson, first round draft picks in 2023, 2025, 2027 and 2029 and a first round pick swap in 2028 from Phoenix in exchange for forwards Kevin Durant and T.J. Warren. The Nets also acquired second round draft picks in 2028 and 2029 from Milwaukee and the draft rights to guard Juan Pablo Vaulet from Indiana in the deal.
“After thorough evaluation of the best path forward, we believe making this trade now positions the franchise for long-term success,” said Nets General Manager Sean Marks. “Mikal and Cam are elite, ascending, versatile wings, plus the draft capital provides us additional avenues to continue to acquire talent. We remain steadfast in our commitment to building the team Brooklyn deserves. We are excited to welcome Mikal, Cam and their families to Brooklyn and thank Kevin for the moments and memories he delivered our fanbase.”
Bridges (6’6”, 209) has appeared in 365 career games (298 starts) across five seasons (2018-23) with the Suns, registering averages of 12.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals in 32.1 minutes per game while shooting 49.9 percent from the field, 37.6 percent from 3-point range and 84.8 percent from the free-throw line. Bridges has not missed a single game in his NBA career and owns the league’s longest active consecutive games played streak. This season, the 26-year-old has appeared in and started 56 games, averaging 17.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, a career-best 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals in a career-high 36.4 minutes per game (eighth in the league). Bridges’ points per game are a career high and mark the fifth straight season that he has increased his scoring output. Last season, the Philadelphia native helped anchor the league’s third-best defense, earning NBA All-Defensive First Team honors and finishing second in NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting. Bridges also helped lead the Suns to the playoffs in each of the last two seasons, including a trip to the NBA Finals in 2021. In 35 career playoff games (all starts), Bridges has posted averages of 11.9 points, 4.4 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steals in 34.5 minutes per contest while shooting 48.2 percent from the field, 37.5 percent from distance and 91.4 percent from the free-throw line. Bridges was selected with the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 2018 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers before being traded to Phoenix on draft night. Prior to beginning his NBA career, Bridges played three years (2015-18) at Villanova, earning Big East Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors as a sophomore and All-Big East First Team honors in his third and final collegiate season. Bridges was a key contributor on two national championship teams during his career at Villanova (2016 and 2018).
Johnson (6’8”, 210) has played in 200 games (52 starts) across four seasons (2019-23) with the Suns, recording averages of 10.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 24.3 minutes per game while shooting 44.4 percent from the field, 39.6 percent from 3-point range and 84.0 percent from the free-throw line. This season, the 26-year-old has seen action in 17 games (16 starts), averaging 13.9 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 25.3 minutes per contest while shooting a career-best 47.4 percent from the field, a career-high 45.5 percent from distance (which would rank fourth in the league if he qualified for league leader status) and 81.8 percent from the free-throw line. Johnson’s points per game are a career high and mark the fourth straight season that he has increased his scoring output. Last season, the Moon Township, Pa., native finished third in NBA Sixth Man of the Year voting and ranked fourth in the league in 3-point field goal percentage (42.5 percent), a dramatic increase from the previous season, his second in the league, when he shot 34.9 percent from deep. Johnson also helped the Suns make consecutive trips to the postseason in the last two seasons, including a trip to the 2021 NBA Finals. In 34 career playoff games (three starts), Johnson has produced averages of 9.2 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 22.4 minutes per game while shooting 48.3 percent from the field, 41.4 percent from 3-point range and 85.9 percent from the free-throw line. Johnson was selected with the 11th overall pick in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft by Phoenix after spending his last two collegiate seasons (2017-19) at the University of North Carolina, where he earned All-ACC First Team honors in his final season. Johnson began his collegiate career at the University of Pittsburgh, where he redshirted during the 2014-15 season and played the following two seasons (2015-17).
Durant was acquired by Brooklyn via a sign-and-trade with Golden State on July 7, 2019, and missed the 2019-20 season while rehabbing a right Achilles tendon injury. He appeared in 129 games with the Nets across the last three seasons (2020-23), registering averages of 29.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.2 blocks in 35.7 minutes per contest.
Warren appeared in 26 games with Brooklyn this season after signing as a free agent on July 7, 2022, recording averages of 9.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 18.8 minutes per game.