The New York Knicks made a splash with their trade for Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets this offseason, pairing him with his former Villanova teammates in Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo. Since Bridge's days with the Nets, many speculated about him joining his Villanova teammates, and Bridges blamed Hart's jokes about a potential trade for tampering accusations that fans speculated about.
“Coming out of college we were winning but we were all just trying to make the league and be there,” Mikal Bridges said on Podcast P wit Paul George, presented by Wave Sports + Entertainment. “I guess it was Jalen and Josh were the first two, and then Donte went and I guess especially when Donte got there, you know the media, and I was in Brooklyn at the time, it's so easy to just throw my name out there because I'm right there and I'm a good fit for them. But no, we didn't really talk much honestly. I think when it kind of got close to that point when I was in Brooklyn and obviously Josh, you know he's the biggest troll in the damn world. Making Brooklyn fans hate me, making all these damn jokes, like bro what are you doing. We didn't really think about it too much man, I think we were all just excited to be in the league and just crazy how things happen.”
The Knicks are hoping that Bridges is a seamless fit with his old college teammates, as well as Julius Randle and OG Anunoby. New York has been strategically adding pieces, and while the Bridges trade took a lot of draft picks, the salary is vital and meant that the Knicks would not have to give up a player. Bridges joins an already-established culture, and it will be about fitting him in.
Why the Mikal Bridges trade made sense over other options
The biggest component that many bring up when it comes to the Knicks adding Bridges is the defensive component pairing him with OG Anunoby, specifically when it comes to competing with the Boston Celtics in the eastern Conference. It is right that Bridges and Anunoby give the Knicks a chance to defend the Celtics like no other eastern conference team can. In general, the defensive versatility is super valuable as well.
However, Bridges, unlike another option like Paul George, or other star players who were more expensive, likely would have required Julius Randle going the other way. Instead, the Knicks add Bridges at about $23-24 million each of the next two years, who knows how to play with the Villanova players. That also allows the Knicks to keep an all-NBA player in Randle.
Not to mention, it has been reported that Bridges is likely to take a discount, similar to how Jalen Brunson did this offseason with the extension that he agreed to. It will be interesting to see how Bridges fits in with the Knicks this season.
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