The Knicks reportedly acquired Bridges for a king’s ransom, with Bojan Bogdanovic, four unprotected first-round draft picks and a protected first-round pick via the Milwaukee Bucks headed to the Brooklyn Nets in return.
News of the trade broke a day before the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft, as the Knicks continued to add talent around All-NBA Second Team guard Jalen Brunson.
Bridges, 27, has two seasons left on the four-year, $90.9million rookie extension he signed when he was with the Phoenix Suns, and the Nets reportedly feared that he may leave for nothing if he reached free agency.
A six-year veteran, Bridges averaged 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 82 games last season in Brooklyn.
Bridges will reunite with former college teammates in Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart as the Knicks continue to build a Villanova alumni club in their locker room.
A versatile two-way threat, Bridges is expected to bring secondary scoring and ball-handling on offence and could see plenty of open 3-point looks with defenses focusing on Brunson and Julius Randle.
Bridges is also the NBA’s active Iron Man with 474 consecutive games played, a welcome addition for a Knicks team that was devastated by injuries down the stretch last season.
The trade is not without risk for the Knicks, however.
In addition to the vast amount of draft capital sent to the Nets, Bridges’ addition casts doubt on New York’s ability to retain both OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein, who will be free agents on June 30.
Bridges is able to easily swing between guard and forward positions, but a frontcourt that included Randle, Anunoby, Hartenstein and Mitchell Robinson could be too crowded.
The Knicks gave up talented pieces in RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to acquire Anunoby at last season’s deadline, but his skill-set could be somewhat redundant with Bridges on the roster.
If Knicks president Leon Rose is able to keep even one of Anunoby or Hartenstein, however, New York will add talent and depth to a team that won 50 games last season and broke down in the playoffs only after several key injuries.
The Nets will almost certainly take a step back after losing last season’s leading scorer, but the trade helps replenish the franchise’s arsenal of future assets that was diminished by acquiring James Harden in 2021.
With early reports touting the 2025 draft class as deep in high-level talent, Brooklyn turned its focus away from the 2024-25 season and toward the future.
Duncan Robinson added 26 points and Bam Adebayo had 20 to help Miami win seven in a row for the first time since Dec. 30, 2017-Jan. 14, 2018.
The Heat dropped to 1-4 with a loss to Brooklyn on Nov. 4, but haven’t lost since and their 8-4 record ties for the fourth-best 12-game start under Erik Spoelstra.
Each win during Miami’s current streak has been by single digits. Charlotte is the only other team without a double-digit win yet.
Mikal Bridges and Lonnie Walker IV scored 23 points apiece for the Nets, which had won five straight against the Heat.
Joe perfect from deep as Thunder win
Isaiah Joe went 7 for 7 from 3-point range to score 23 points and the Oklahoma City Thunder handed the short-handed Golden State Warriors their fifth straight loss, 128-109.
Shai Gilgeous Alexander had 24 points and seven assists and Josh Giddey scored 19 to propel Oklahoma City to its fifth win in six games.
Chet Holmgren added 13 points and 10 rebounds as the Thunder defeated the Warriors for only the second time in the past 11 meetings.
Jonathan Kuminga scored 21 points for Golden State, which dropped to 1-5 at home this season.
Golden State played without Stephen Curry (right knee soreness) and Draymond Green (suspension) and guard Gary Payton II exited with a sprained left ankle in the second quarter.
The Pistons joined the 2010-11 Cleveland Cavaliers and the 2013-14 Philadelphia 76ers to drop to 2-27 in their first season under Monty Williams.
These teams meet again Tuesday in Detroit, with the Pistons nearing the longest overall slide in league history. The 76ers dropped 28 in a row from late in the 2014-15 season through early 2015-16.
Mikal Bridges had 29 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Nets, who had seven players in double figures to snap their five-game skid.
Jaden Ivey scored 23 points and Cade Cunningham had 22 as Detroit remained winless since Oct. 28.
Brooklyn put the game away with a 15-0 run in the third and fourth quarters to open a 21-point lead.
Streaking Bucks handle Knicks
Giannis Antetokoumpo tallied 28 points, seven assists and seven rebounds to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to their seventh straight win, 130-111 over the New York Knicks in the opener of a two-game series.
Bobby Portis had 23 points and 11 rebounds, Khris Middleton added 20 points and Damain Lillard contributed 19 points, nine boards and seven assists to help the Bucks win their ninth game in a row against the Knicks.
The teams will meet again on Monday in front of a national TV audience.
Jalen Brunson poured in 36 points for New York after he had 45 points in a loss to Milwaukee on Nov. 3.
The Bucks essentially put the game out of reach with an 11-0 run early in the fourth quarter, turning an 11-point lead into a 114-92 cushion on Portis’ 3-pointer with 6:29 remaining.
Doncic stars in Mavericks’ win as Wembanyama sits
Luka Dončić had 39 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists to power the Dallas Mavericks to a 144-119 rout of the San Antonio Spurs, who were without rookie Victor Wembanyama.
Doncic recorded his seventh triple-double of the season and 63rd of his career in just three quarters. It was his 36th triple-double with at least 30 points, one shy of LeBron James for third on the career list.
Wembanyama did not play after the rookie stepped on a ball boy’s foot after taking a few steps following a shot before the game.
The Spurs lost their fourth straight and have dropped 22 of their last 23 games.
