NBA Rumors: Rockets made Nets an offer for Mikal Bridges they almost couldn't refuse

The trade deadline has come and gone, and the Brooklyn Nets find themselves looking up at most of the Eastern Conference.

With a dismal record of 21-33, the Nets sit at 11th in the conference.

One of last year's key additions for the Nets was forward Mikal Bridges, who was acquired from the Phoenix Suns in a four-team trade.

Bridges was a player that several teams showed interest in at the trade deadline, but the Nets ultimately held onto the star forward.

However, the Houston Rockets made them an offer that was going to be tough to refuse, even offering the Nets some of the draft picks they had landed in the James Harden trade back in 2020.

But Brooklyn declined the offer, choosing not to deal Bridges.

NBA Rumors: Rockets made compelling offer to Nets for Bridges

This deal would have almost certainly signaled a rebuild for the Nets. But it might have been the smart decision with the team struggling so badly and likely to miss the playoffs.

Last year at the deadline, they traded away both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. Durant went to Phoenix as part of the Bridges trade.

But Bridges is arguably one of the top players on the Nets roster, and someone they could build around in the future. The Nets likely viewed him as such and may have declined Houston's offer for that reason.

Michael Scotto of USA Today noted that the Nets were unwilling to entertain any offers for Bridges and shut down talks with the Rockets when Bridges was brought up.

The Rockets have performed far better than expected this season. Though they find themselves at 12th in the Western Conference with a record of 24-30, adding Bridges would have given them another star to go along with Alperen Sengun, Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, and Fred VanVleet, as well as a chance to fight for a spot in the playoffs down the stretch.