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While Brooklyn Nets star Mikal Bridges has been busy schmoozing with Boston Celtics restricted free agent Grant Williams, rival teams could be looking to poach Nets players.
One of those teams, the New York Knicks, has a very specific need.
“Specifically, they need wings who won’t dominate the ball, can stroke it from three, and defend at a high enough level to earn coach Tom Thibodeau‘s trust,” wrote Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report in a June 8 article identifying targets for New York. “Yuta Watanabe fits the bill.”
Watanabe averaged a modest 5.6 points, 2.4 rebounds, and shot 44.4% – albeit on just 2.3 attempts – from beyond the arc this past season. The 6-foot-9 forward was always a role player off the bench but saw his minutes greatly reduced after the Nets’ pair of blockbuster trades at the deadline brought four new starters in.
He went from seeing over 18 minutes per game before the trade deadline to fewer than 10 minutes per game after the deadline passed.
Watanabe just finished a one-year, $1.9 million contract.
“The 28-year-old is a … ball of energy with enough hustle and athleticism to make plays at both ends,” wrote Buckley. “If the Knicks trust his shooting, then they should give chase.”
Yuta Watanabe a Cheap Alternative for Nets
Yuta Watanabe getting Shots up #Netsworld
The Nets are facing some interesting salary cap decisions to add talent to the roster while keeping their luxury tax bill in check if not avoiding it altogether. They would have to make some additional moves to bring back some key players, namely forward Cameron Johnson.
Watanabe could be a cheap alternative to some of their current veterans who could fetch something on the trade market.
“Yuta Watanabe is getting a nice pay bump when he hits free agency this summer,” asserted Tas Melas of the “No Dunks” podcast on February 14. “He came into the season just trying to make Brooklyn’s roster … and now he’s giving GMs a reason to keep him.”
He has been mentioned as a potential option for the Celtics for the same reasons.
“He is plug-and-play on the offensive end, with more on-ball portability than many of the other aging wings to whom heavyweight contenders are traditionally linked,” wrote Dan Favale of Bleacher Report in February.
His limited usage belied his international popularity, particularly when he was a part of the Nets’ rotation.
Midway through the NBA season, Yuta Watanabe not just doing numbers for the @BrooklynNets – he’s now got the top-selling jersey in Japan according to @NBAJPN.
He last held the spot in 2020-21.
Mikal Bridges Takes Heat From MLB Team
Bridges was one of the players who arrived at the deadline and put a squeeze on the minutes, though he did not take Watanabe’s role directly.
Bridges is an avid Philadelphia Phillies fan and his favorite team lit into the Arizona Diamondbacks on June 14, winning their matchup 15-3, prompting a reaction from Bridges on social media.
“Lol,” Bridges tweeted also tagging the Diamondbacks who responded in kind.
Arizona took the first two games of a three-game set by a combined score of 25 runs to 10 runs for Philadelphia in August. Of course, Philadelphia won Game 3 18-2 so Bridges got the last laugh.
The Diamondbacks’ response to his initial tweet left Bridges only able to reply with a picture of retiring Miami Heat veteran Udonis Haslem from when head coach Erik Spoelstra asked him to check into a game earlier in the postseason.
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Nets’ ‘Ball of Energy’ Floated as Offseason Answer for Rival Knicks