- The Nets will reportedly obtain 5 first-round picks and a future choose swap
- Bridges is reuniting with 4 of his former Villanova Wildcat teammates at MSG
The NBA offseason acquired off to an ideal begin on Tuesday night time when information broke that the Brooklyn Nets had agreed to commerce star ahead Mikal Bridges to the rival New York Knicks throughout the East River.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN is reporting that the Knicks will ship their 4 unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027, 2029, 2031) to the Nets, in addition to a 2025 protected Milwaukee Bucks first-round choose, a 2028 unprotected choose swap and a 2025 second-round choose. Lastly, the Nets will reacquire veteran Croatian ahead Bojan Bogdanovic, who started his NBA profession in Brooklyn in 2014.
The deal reunites Bridges along with his former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo. The Wildcat quartet received the varsity's second nationwide championship in 2016 beneath coach Jay Wright. Brunson, DiVincenzo and Bridges received one other nationwide title collectively in 2018 after Hart turned professional.
Bridges reacted to the information on X, saying, “That is loopy.”
Neither Nets nor Knicks spokespeople responded to DailyMail.com's affirmation requests.
Mikal Bridges smiles at former Villanova teammate Josh Hart after the Nets-Knicks sport in March
Bridges grabs a rebound in entrance of Villanova teammates Donte DiVincenzo (left) and Jalen Brunson (proper) in 2018. All three will now reunite with the New York Knicks
Donte DiVincenzo #0, Jalen Brunson #11, and Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks in Could
In accordance with varied reviews, Bridges was beforehand thought-about untouchable by the Nets.
After averaging 19.6 factors per sport for the struggling Nets, Bridges now joins a Knicks workforce that may attain the Japanese Convention semifinals in 2024.
Bridges was chosen within the first spherical in 2018 out of Villanova by his hometown Philadelphia 76ers, which employed his mom on the time.
However in a merciless accident, Bridges was traded to the Suns in a draft-night deal and performed his first four-plus seasons in Phoenix earlier than he was acquired by Brooklyn in change for Kevin Durant.
The settlement means the top of OG Anunoby's temporary tenure in New York, as he has reportedly determined to choose out of his contract and check the free-agent market. ESPN is reporting that the Knicks are nonetheless hoping to re-sign the defensive stopper, however this might make it troublesome to re-sign middle Isaiah Hartenstein.
The Knicks acquired Anunoby from Toronto earlier than the 2024 commerce deadline, however he struggled with accidents in simply 23 video games with New York whereas showing in simply 9 of 13 postseason video games.
