With the dust finally settling, we can do our Mikal Bridges trade analysis.
Bridges’ trade was one of the biggest stories in sports earlier this week, and it marked the start of a series of very interesting moves for the Knicks in the postseason. Additionally, with OG Anunoby still under contract for years to come, the Knicks have two elite perimeter guards to work under Tom Thibodeau.
However, the move was a bit controversial. Are the Knicks now title contenders? Did they overpay? And what should we do with the Villanova Knicks? With that in mind, we’ll take a deeper look at the deal and its potential ramifications.
Mikal Bridges trade analysis: Was this the right move by the Knicks?
The initial reaction to the Knicks’ Bridges trade was mostly positive. It made sense for both teams. However, the return is something you might expect from one of the greatest small forwards in NBA history, which is not the case with Bridges, with all due respect.
New York has offered five first-round picks, pick trades, and Bojan Bogdanovic. The Nets' draft picks will be virtually non-existent, so this move was necessary to rebuild the team for the future. They made the most of their leverage because they knew how much New York wanted Bridges, and they got an excellent return for it.
However, as expensive as this return may be, New York was the only team in the league that could afford it. First of all, most of these picks are likely to be in the 20s, as they are expected to be a competitive team for years to come.
Furthermore, you can't put a price on chemistry, and these guys clearly know how to play off each other. Three of the four former Wildcats won two national championships together in college, and have remained very close on the field ever since.
Bridges is one of the most enduring athletes out there. He hasn't missed a game since high school, and even played 83 regular-season games when he was traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Brooklyn Nets. That makes him almost perfect for Tom Thibodeau, who is known for playing heavy minutes with his top players.
Bridges informed the Nets that he wanted to be with New York, and although they were not obligated to move him because he still had two years remaining on his contract, the move made a lot of sense for both parties; This comeback was too good to ignore.
It may not be completed
The best part is that the Knicks may not be done moving yet. They could still find a replacement for Julius Randle and trade him for another star, maybe even Paul George, as he and OG Anunoby could play at the fourth position without a problem.
It's also likely that trading Randle would help them retain Isaiah Harstenstine, who is expected to get a big contract in free agency, or even gain more depth behind injury-prone Mitchell Robinson.
The Knicks were preparing for a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals last season before injuries got in their way. Bridges is an absolute iron man, and while he's not an All-Star, he has proven that he can be a 20+ PPG scorer if given the opportunity, so having him there will take the pressure off Jalen Brunson's shoulders.
And if the Knicks continue to turn some of their players over to add other rotational pieces around Villanova and Anunoby's youth, they could be a legitimate dark horse to win it all in the next two years.
