The Phoenix Suns were the NBA's worst team for three seasons before the arrival of Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, posting a 68-178 record from 2015 to 2018. Fast forward to last season's blockbuster trade that sent both players to the Brooklyn Nets for Kevin Durant, and the Suns were a perennial title contender with a 2021 Eastern Conference championship under their belt.
Bridges and Johnson, also known as “The Twins” dating back to their first season in Phoenix, became fan favorites while emerging as key rotation pieces during the Suns' resurgence.
Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson reflect on Suns tenure
Both players return to Phoenix Wednesday for the first time since being traded when the Suns host the Nets. Before the meeting with his former team, Johnson reflected on what it means to have played an integral role in Phoenix's turnaround.
“It was a lot of work from everybody,” he said. “It was a lot of teamwork from the organization top to bottom. There are ups and downs and there were times that stressed us out more than others, but it's something that I'll definitely have pride in and continue to have pride in with just being a part of something special.
“I think that's all we want in sports is to be a part of something that's bigger than ourselves. It puts a lot of things in perspective. You got your team, your organization, and the city, that all goes beyond personal accolades and accomplishments and extends far beyond that. So definitely appreciative, definitely grateful. I won't forget it.”
The high point of Phoenix's turnaround was a 2021 NBA Finals loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, a threshold the team has failed to reach each of the last two seasons. Johnson, who shot 44.6 percent from three during the playoff run, pointed to the Suns' pair of finals wins as the top memory of his tenure.
“I have to say the finals. Those first two wins in the finals. Go back to that time, we were really on a high,” he said. “It didn't end the way we wanted it to, but if you capture that moment in time, it's pretty cool the way the city just loved it, cared for us, enjoyed the process with us. It was a lot of fun.”
Bridges solidified himself as one of the NBA's top perimeter defenders during four-and-a-half seasons in Phoenix. He gradually emerged as a two-way threat while playing a complementary role to Devin Booker and Chris Paul, averaging 12.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals per game on 50/38/85 shooting splits throughout his tenure.
Since his trade to the Nets, the 27-year-old has firmly planted himself in the All-Star conversation, averaging 24.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists on 48/38/89 shooting splits. Amid his breakout, Bridges has still received frequent adoration from Suns fans on social media.
He reminisced on his Phoenix tenure Wednesday, admitting his excitement about reuniting with familiar faces and receiving a tribute at Footprint Center.
“Yeah, man, it was a great culture we had here,” he said. “You can't take it for granted. Going to the finals ain’t easy, so you kind of realize that it's tough to get back… It's not normal to be so close like that as a team, especially in the NBA. It’s really special. And that's stuff that I took with me when I left, being able to have those moments and really embrace it.
“[Suns fans] still show love and everything like that, it's dope to see,” Bridges continued. “I watch games and as much as I try to want myself to root against them, I can't. I've got guys out there that I want to succeed. I got friends out there, and I want to do well, so it’s tough going against them.”
While Bridges and Johnson still have ex-teammates on Phoenix, Booker is the only Sun remaining from the 2021 Western Conference Championship squad. Paul has since been traded to the Washington Wizards then re-routed to the Golden State Warriors, while Deandre Ayton was dealt to the Portland Trail Blazers and Jae Crowder and Cam Payne joined the Milwaukee Bucks.
Bridges and Johnson have found a new home in Brooklyn, where they have received feature roles in a new-look rotation. For both players, the Suns' dismantling is a stern reminder of the business side of the NBA.
“It shows you just how to league changes. They tell us that all the time, they told us this coming in,” Johnson said. “It can come at you fast, and people will make business moves, and it kind of takes the personal out of it. I think in those first three and a half years in Phoenix, we weren't immune to it, but we were in a bubble in a sense.
“We really cared for each other, really cared for the program and for collective success, probably a lot more than individual success. So the trade and everything that's happened since then with this team, that's the business and you got to accept it… I'm thankful that I have an organization like Brooklyn and teammates like the ones I have here that I love playing alongside and love playing for. It's all just part of the journey and all part of the process.”
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