The trade deadline has long passed and some teams might regret missing out on the right move. Thus, Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley put together a list of trades every NBA team wishes it could make right now.
The Kings shouldn’t necessarily regret not making a move at the trade deadline—their main guys need more experience before it is worth going all in on a win-now move—but the team still has plenty of deficiencies.
Certain perimeter players struggle defensively, the team is small, rim protection is pretty much non-existent, and they can’t hold on to leads. It seems the starting lineup that was so good last season has stalled out. We just saw it in Los Angeles. The starters were down big until the bench came in and saved the day.
Thus, the mock trade sent a starting level 3-and-D wing to the Kings:
Kings get: Mikal Bridges
Nets get: Harrison Barnes, Davion Mitchell, a 2026 first-round pick, a 2028 first-round pick, and a 2030 first-round pick.
Grade the trade
Mikal Bridges is exactly what the Kings need. He never misses games, is a lock-down defender and a 37.3 percent career three-point shooter, and has vastly expanded his offensive arsenal in Brooklyn.
Not only would he be the perfect upgrade over Harrison Barnes to pair with Keegan Murray, but he might be the missing piece and one of the few players out there worth going all in for.
Three first-round picks is a lot, but good players like Bridges don’t come cheap. The Nets’ front office has made it clear before that the organization is not very inclined to trade Bridges. Three first-round picks should pique their interest, however, as they are not going anywhere with the current roster and could use the draft assets.
Plus, Barnes is still a capable veteran presence, and Mitchell could really blossom in a bigger role. We just saw him have a great game against the Lakers, but losing him wouldn’t hurt the Kings too much due to the emergence of Keon Ellis.
The Kings certainly wish they could make this trade right now to bolster their playoff push. It would be just as great in the offseason, however. If this trade should ever become a possibility, the Kings should not hesitate and the Nets should at least consider it.
Grade: A