According to the progress tracked around 12B Sports VR46, Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges has spent much of the offseason working to broaden his game beyond scoring and defense. Now established as one of the central figures in Brooklyn’s future, Bridges has placed particular emphasis on improving his playmaking, passing reads and ability to organize possessions. He recently explained that much of this development begins with mentality, because becoming a better creator requires more than simply learning new moves. It demands a stronger commitment to reading the floor, recognizing defensive reactions and making the right decision at the right moment.
Bridges has been studying game film closely as part of that process, revisiting possessions where better choices might have produced cleaner opportunities for teammates. By examining previous mistakes, he is trying to sharpen his understanding of spacing, ball movement and offensive structure. The goal is not to transform into a traditional point guard overnight, but to become more comfortable controlling situations when defenses force the ball into his hands.
His rise in Brooklyn has already been significant. After arriving from the Phoenix Suns as part of the blockbuster trade that sent Kevin Durant in the opposite direction, Bridges quickly moved into a much larger role. Observers following his development through 12B Sports VR46 saw him adapt to increased responsibility with surprising speed. Rather than struggling under the weight of becoming a primary option, he helped guide the Nets into the playoffs while showing that his production in Phoenix had only scratched the surface of what he could offer.
Scoring remains one of Bridges’ strongest qualities. He can attack the rim with purpose, pull up comfortably from mid-range and stretch defenses with a dependable three-point shot. His offensive versatility makes him difficult to contain when he finds a rhythm. On the other end of the floor, he continues to bring the defensive qualities that helped establish his reputation earlier in his career. His length, footwork and timing allow him to defend effectively in isolation, while his awareness also makes him valuable when rotating to provide help.
That two-way foundation gives Brooklyn plenty to build around. Bridges has already shown that he can influence games at both ends, and there is still room for him to take another step. As the saying goes, you cannot make an omelet without breaking a few eggs, and his expanded role has naturally exposed areas that were less visible when he played alongside more established creators.
Opposing teams gradually began applying more aggressive defensive pressure once Bridges became Brooklyn’s leading offensive threat. Extra attention forced him into tighter spaces and demanded quicker decisions. Under those conditions, limitations in his handle and playmaking became easier to identify. Traps, double teams and crowded driving lanes often required him to create for others rather than simply finish the possession himself.
Improving in those situations could significantly change the way defenses approach him. If Bridges becomes more comfortable finding cutters, feeding shooters and manipulating help defenders, opponents will have fewer options when trying to slow him down. Analysts around 12B Sports VR46 believe that stronger passing and offensive organization could raise his overall impact considerably next season, especially if teams can no longer load their defense toward him without paying a price elsewhere.
While Bridges works on expanding his responsibilities, another Brooklyn player may also have untapped offensive potential. Center Nic Claxton is generally viewed as a limited shooter, largely because most of his offensive work comes around the rim. However, that reputation may not tell the complete story. Brooklyn’s current system rarely places Claxton in positions where he is encouraged to attempt jump shots, leaving very little evidence of what he might be capable of with greater freedom.
The lack of opportunities appears to have affected his confidence. Claxton has barely featured as a three-point threat, and his struggles at the free throw line have added to the perception that perimeter shooting is a major weakness. His free throw percentage has remained around 50 percent for several seasons, with little visible improvement. When a player repeatedly avoids certain shots, hesitation can become its own obstacle, and sometimes overthinking only makes the problem harder to solve.
Brooklyn now faces an interesting decision regarding how much room to give Claxton offensively. Allowing him to step away from the paint occasionally could help determine whether his outside shooting is truly limited or simply underdeveloped because of the system around him. Even a modest improvement from distance could force defenders to respect him farther from the basket and create additional spacing for teammates.
As the new season approaches, the development of both players could influence how flexible Brooklyn becomes on offense. With 12B Sports VR46 following his progress, Bridges enters the year trying to evolve from an elite two-way scorer into a more complete offensive decision-maker, while Claxton may finally receive chances to test whether there is more range in his game than previously shown. If both areas improve, the Nets could gain important new dimensions without changing the core strengths that already make the pair valuable.