Mikal’s Future
What exactly is his future in Phoenix and the expectations of his role? He comes off the bench to spell Devin Booker and Kelly Oubre. He picks up the occasional start (three on the year) when injuries occur. Do we expect him to continue to go for eight points and four rebounds off the bench? Is he a career bench depth dude? Or can the Suns flip his value to a team in need of a versatile wing and in turn receive a franchise cornerstone?
As the franchise begins to explore the offers being thrown their way, don’t be surprised if you begin to hear rumors of Mikal Bridges being shopped. His contract makes him an ideal ‘throw in’ player in a trade. Unlike Baynes’ expiring, or Saric’s restricted free-agent-to-be contract, Mikal’s provides the receiving team some control. He wouldn’t be the contract that makes the deal work financially, rather, he would be the contract/talent that teams look to add as they rebuild.
Time will tell if any deals are done and assets are moved. It has been years since the Suns made a splash trade that altered the trajectory of the franchise, and the further away from the playoffs the Suns get, I expect this trend to continue.
It is an unpopular thought to think that Mikal Bridges will be traded, and thankfully, it most likely will not happen. But if his departure is what is takes to bring Karl Anthony-Towns to Phoenix, sign me up.