Former Suns star proves he is still a massive hit with fans

With the benefit of hindsight, it is clear that losing Mikal Bridges was the most painful aspect of the Kevin Durant trade for the Phoenix Suns.

We all understood why it had to happen at the time, and you can argue the team got a happy ending with the players they got for Durant from the Houston Rockets, but it doesn't make it any easier to swallow all this time later.

Bridges had become the emotional heartbeat of that roster in The Valley, in the same way Dillon Brooks is now. They just approached that role incredibly differently.

Bridges features in All-Star fan voting ballot

Which is why it was so cool to see the 29-year-old feature on the opening ballot of fan voting for this year's All-Star game. Bridges coming in 15th, one spot ahead of teammate Josh Hart.

Phoenix has always understood the importance of having Bridges on your roster, and it is great that fans have also connected with that.

What does hurt though is the fact that both Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns also feature, meaning the New York Knicks have four players on the list of 20 for the Eastern Conference.

Compare that with the Suns themselves, who have a single selection in Devin Booker who is also in 15th. It is just a meaningless fan vote, but for these two to be on the same level in popularity or perceived talent is not good for the Suns.

Neither is the fact Dillon Brooks missed out altogether, even though he deserved to make it over some of the names there.

Bridges on the Knicks is also a reminder of what the Suns were, and that was an NBA Finalist with a roster full of guys who themselves were once in the running to be All-Stars.

Bridges, Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton (we see you Cam Johnson) powering the franchise to great success, with the kind of depth and two-way players in Bridges that the Knicks boast now.

Phoenix will always have a soft spot for Bridges, and fans will no doubt be hoping he makes it to the All-Star game for what would be the first time in his career.

Not only because of the talent and obvious vibes that he brings, but also the ridiculous ironman streak he is on since entering the league. He shows up every night, and he deserves his flowers for that alone.