The Houston Rockets have expressed a tremendous amount of interest in trading for Mikal Bridges, sources tell The Athletic. The Rockets have made an offer of multiple first round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Bridges in recent weeks.

The Nets have zero interest in trading Bridges, who is part of their core moving forward.

Ime Udoka is driving the Rockets' push to improve the roster to make the playoffs this season.

Kevin Durant elaborated on why he believes the Brooklyn Nets shouldn't show a tribute video for him in his first return game to Barclays Center.

“What did I do to deserve that?” Durant said about a tribute video after Sunday’s loss at Orlando.

“Seriously, or is it because of my name? I’m just another player, man. I don’t deserve none of this extra attention, everybody looking at me when the game starts. The game is about all the players on the court. It ain’t about me. I was there for three years, four years and we didn’t accomplish anything worth being celebrated for. That’s just how I feel.”

Durant and the Phoenix Suns will play the Nets on Wednesday.

“I don’t expect anything from anybody,” Durant said. “I just want people to come and enjoy the game and come support the game of basketball. Whatever they do in between the time, then they do it, but I can’t control that.”   

The Brooklyn Nets have upgraded Ben Simmons to probable for Monday's game against the Utah Jazz. Simmons hasn't played since November 6 due to a back injury.

Simmons recently said he feels good and that his back is strong enough for him to return. Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said Simmons was ramping up and was close to returning last week.

Ben Simmons could return from his lower back nerve impingement as soon as Monday versus the Utah Jazz.

Simmons has been out with the injury since November 6th.

Simmons will practice with the Brooklyn Nets' G League team this weekend. 

Ben Simmons is getting closer to making a return for the Brooklyn Nets. While the Nets aren't putting a timetable on his return, Jacque Vaughn gave some insight into the possible ramp-up plan for Simmons.

"At some point I think we’ll use Long Island, hopefully, to get a practice underneath him or get some more bodies around him. Hopefully that’s in the near future," Vaughn said.

Long Island refers to the Long Island Nets of the G League. It's become a common practice for teams to send players to the G League as sort of a rehab assignment before returning from injury.

Simmons hasn't played since November 6. He suffered a reoccurrence of his back problems. He's been rehabbing since, and the Nets have continued to maintain they're hopeful Simmons will play again this season.

Since the Brooklyn Nets rested a number of their players in a 144-122 loss at home to the Milwaukee Bucks on December 27th, they have posted a 1-8 record. The Nets are one game out of the play-in behind the Atlanta Hawks, but many around the NBA expect them to continue to compete for a shot at the postseason.

"I can't speak to what the Nets are thinking at this very second, but the word through the NBA is the Nets are attempting to be buyers," said Brian Windhorst on Friday's episode of The Hoop Collective.

The podcast conversation was centered on whether the Nets should look to pick up some future draft capital for a player like Dorian Finney-Smith, who holds value around the league.

The Nets do not control their first round pick this season as it will be sent to the Houston Rockets as part of the 2021 James Harden trade, which disincentivizes them from taking a step back.

Brooklyn already has a number of incoming future picks from the Phoenix Suns and Dallas Mavericks as part of their trades last season of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. 

The Dallas Mavericks have been linked with Pascal Siakam, but sources tell Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports that they also have interest in Andrew Wiggins, P.J. Washington and Dorian Finney-Smith.

Wiggins is in Year 1 of a four-year, $109 million extension with the Golden State Warriors. Wiggins has largely struggled since leaving the Warriors last season for personal reasons.

Washington signed a three-year, $48 million extension with the Charlotte Hornets last offseason as a restricted free agent.

The Mavericks traded Finney-Smith to the Brooklyn Nets last season as part of a package for Kyrie Irving. Finney-Smith can become a free agent in 2025.

The Cleveland Cavaliers have interest in trading for an upgrade on the wing and have Royce O'Neale as a potential target.

The Brooklyn Nets acquired O'Neale from the Utah Jazz at the start of the 2022 offseason.

De'Andre Hunter has also been linked with the Cavaliers, though his three seasons and $70 million remaining on his contract contract complicates any trade scenario.

Brooklyn Nets guard Cam Thomas has recently returned to the bench after a string of starts. When asked if he's comfortable with the Nets rotations since being moved back to the bench, Thomas made it clear he's not.

"No... I'm just doing my job... But no, I don't really have no comfortability coming off the bench or starting. Whatever he wants me to do that's what imma do," Thomas answered.

Thomas has started 20 of 30 games this season. He had started 13 games in a row before Jacque Vaughn moved him to the bench at the end of December.

Ben Simmons will travel with the Brooklyn Nets on their upcoming three-game road trip, according to Jacque Vaughn.

Simmons recently met with media in Paris and said that he would "be back soon."

The 27-year-old has appeared in just six games this season due to a left lower back nerve impingement.