The New York Knicks have traded for forward Mikal Bridges, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. In the deal, the Brooklyn Nets are receiving forward Bojan Bogdanovic, four unprotected first-round picks, a protected first-round pick from the Milwaukee Bucks, and an unprotected pick swap along with a second round pick.
The trade is a sign of a rebuild for the Nets, dealing a future star with a lot of untapped potential to a team that resides in the same city.
For the Knicks, who finished the 2023-2024 season as the Eastern Conference’s second seed, they receive a guy in Bridges who is a very good midrange shooter, three-point shooter, and elite defensive player on the wing.
Just 27, the former Phoenix Sun and now former Net averaged 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists on 43.6 percent shooting in 2023-2024. He has played in all 82 games three times in his career including this past season.
He gives the Knicks a bonafide wing scoring option next to star point guard Jalen Brunson, and provides the piece for one of the league’s most potent “Big 3s”, with Brunson and Julius Randle, Randle now more likely to be brought back. Bridges also joins fellow Villanova Wildcat alumni Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo. Hart will be 30 in March of next year, Randle turns 30 in November, and Brunson and DiVincenzo are both 27. If O.G. Anunoby, who is reportedly signing a new extension with the club, comes off the bench the Knicks have an exceptional wing defensive rotation.
The Knicks now have a lot of what you want in a team - toughness, scoring, shooting, and defense. Bridges helps and adds in all of those areas.
With the deal, the Knicks, to this point at least, are without question the second best team in the Eastern Conference and one that as constructed can give the Boston Celtics a serious challenge next season.
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