In another surprising blockbuster from Leon Roosthe Knicks ultimately went all-in with their assets, with four unprotected first-round picks, additional draft capital and Bojan Bogdanovic to the Nets for Mikal Bridges. The move secures New York another two-way wing with All-Star talent, while retaining some of its draft picks and all of its core players.
It also reunited Bridges with his former Villanova teammates after a year of watching Jalen Brunson, Jos Hart And Donte DiVincenzo earn the East’s second seed across the East River. Now he has a chance to be the definitive piece that takes the Knicks from problem to contender.
Let’s assess the trade for the Knicks.
THE GOOD
Just three years ago, Bridges was arguably the third-best player on a near-championship team in Phoenix. He has evolved since then, but ran into some trouble as a lead option in Brooklyn, and now has a chance to slide back into a smaller role in pursuit of a chip.
Even in a down year for the Nets, Bridges averaged 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists, playing in all 82 games and shooting 37.2 percent from three. He took a step back in defense, but should return to form with easier assignments and less attacking burden.
Bridges will likely fill DiVincenzo’s starting spot at two spots, providing great size for the position at 6-foot-1 with a 7-foot-1 wingspan. Offensively, he should mirror him among the starters in many ways, playing as a catch-and-shoot option that can threaten defenses in numerous other ways.
Bridges shot 38.5 percent on catch-and-shoot threes — a solid number that should improve with more space and better looks. He is a tricky shot maker who can lock and charge in transition and also pull up from distance.
He will also make hay to fill in the gaps as a cutter, which was a big part of his game in Phoenix. Bridges also gives the Knicks some creation in the bench lineups, an intriguing part of his game that should translate better than it did for the Nets given the workload.
Bridges is great in transition and shouldn’t require any touches despite the stacked roster, a big plus over other potential stars the Knicks could theoretically acquire. If the defense gets going like it should, New York has a real weapon here.
One thing that was further highlighted during last year’s postseason is the importance of depth and wing talent – two things the Knicks just improved significantly with this trade. They are now poised to match up well with the champion Boston Celtics as they re-sign their free agents and fill out the roster if necessary.
Bridges also offers new flexibility for the Knicks. Head coach Tom Thibodeau can now go five out with Brunson, Bridges, Hart, Anunoby and Julius Randleor go with another interesting concoction.
THE BAD
It’s impossible to know what chances actually existed for the Knicks. This was a huge package they sent to Brooklyn, and for a guy who isn’t considered one of the NBA’s superstars – presumably the level New York was aiming for for years with all its draft capital.
They kept all their 2024 picks, one of which could be flipped for a future pick, but beyond that they only have a protected Pistons 2025 first, their own 2026 first, a trade in 2028 and their first in 2030. New York might not have emptied its war chest, but given it a good spring cleaning.
That ammo may not matter much now since they plan to compete, but Bridges isn’t guaranteeing that. He is not a franchise-changing savior. If the goal isn’t to get him, there’s even a good argument for bringing him off the bench as a sixth man.
While Bridges may be able to provide a degree of self-creation, he will largely be a high-end 3-and-D guy, with the offensive generation falling back to Brunson and Randle. That means if one goes down, the Knicks may be in a better position than last year, but they could still be in trouble.
There is also the unlikely chance that Bridges does not return to form. He has spent a season and a half as the lead player on the ball and the transition back could be difficult.
THE GRADE: A-
You cannot fully assess a transaction until years after its full effects have become known. That said, the current league has rewarded teams for making big, definitive attempts to acquire talent via the trade market, and that’s exactly what the Knicks did.
Not only did they strengthen their rotation and generate a fearsome wing rotation, but they also did so by signing that one man who was a perfect fit on the pitch and in the locker room. They’ll ultimately be judged on whether or not it gets them a championship, but in the meantime, it feels like the closest they’ve been to that in a while now.
