Grading the Mikal Bridges Trade to New York Knicks
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the New York Knicks have traded Bojan Bogdanovic, four unprotected first-round picks, one protected first-round pick, an unprotected pick swap, and a second-rounder to the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges. The Knicks go all-in on a Villanova-heavy team, adding Bridges to fellow alum Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo. The second seed in the east behind the NBA champion Boston Celtics is looking to improve and become true title contenders with this move. However, the Knicks may have given up too much for a player who has never even been an All-Star.
Knicks Trade Grade: C+
While it’s fun the Knicks gave up so much to reunite now four members of the 2016-17 Villanova Wildcats, they also gave up a ton for a player who was a three and-D role player with the Suns and lackluster first option for the struggling Nets. Bridges is a great player and will help the Knicks a lot, but unless they go on to win the title, they will be barren with picks and will struggle to add pieces and assets to the roster in the future. I do like them being proactive in replacing free agent OG Anunoby. Bridges is a similar type of player but a more aggressive scorer, and also has the previously mentioned chemistry with other top players on the team. The trade package the Knicks gave up seems fitting for one of the top players in the league, and Bridges is not that, but a title can make this giant overpay worth it in the end.
Nets Trade Grade: A+
Acquiring an expiring contract and tons of draft capital is a great haul, no matter who you are giving up in return. Getting all that for a player who has never made an All-Star game is impressive. A franchise historically fleeced for draft picks in these kinds of trades, the Nets are learning from past mistakes, not holding on to top players too long, and accumulating as much draft capital as possible to rebuild rather than stay as a middling team. It will be interesting to see if more moves are made, or if the Nets just simply could not pass up this incredible haul for Bridges when the Knicks approached them with it. Even if Bridges thrives and helps the Knicks win a title, this trade should at worst be a win-win for both teams.
