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BREAKING: Knicks Trade For Another Villanova Star

The New York Knicks have added to their Villanova Wildcat litter by trading for Mikal Bridges.

Geoff Magliocchetti

Mar 23, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives past Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges (1) in the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 23, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives past Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges (1) in the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
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The New York Knicks' Villanova Wildcat litter just got a little bigger.

Per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Knicks have acquired Brooklyn Nets star Mikal Bridges in exchange for forward Bojan Bogdanovic, four unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027, 2029, 2031), a protected first-round pick (via Milwaukee, 2025), an unprotected pick swap (2028), and a second-rounder (2026).

Jan 20, 2018; Hartford, CT, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard Jalen Brunson (1) and guard Mikal Bridges (25) react on the court in the second half against the Connecticut Huskies at XL Center. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 20, 2018; Hartford, CT, USA; Villanova Wildcats guard Jalen Brunson (1) and guard Mikal Bridges (25) react on the court in the second half against the Connecticut Huskies at XL Center. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Bridges joins fellow former Wildcats Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Josh Hart, all of whom worked with him on The Main Line. Bridges was a part of two national championship teams (2016, 2018) at Villanova, working alongside Brunson and DiVincenzo for each and with Hart on the former. The previously established Nova trio hardly hid their desire to see Bridges added to the fold and, per Wojnarowski, their wish has been fulfilled.

Set to enter his seventh season, Bridges was briefly the Nets' headliner after he was acquired from the Phoenix Suns in exchange in the deal that sent Kevin Durant out west. He averaged 19.6 points with 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists as Brooklyn missed out on the NBA postseason.

Trades between the Knicks and Nets are extremely rare: Tuesday's reported deal is just the fifth transaction between the metropolitan rivals and the first since Len Elmore and Tom Sluby were swapped in 1983.

Apr 20, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) looks to drive past Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) in the first quarter during game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 20, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Bojan Bogdanovic (44) looks to drive past Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) in the first quarter during game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports

Thus ends Bogdanovic's brief tour as a Knick, which began when he arrived from Detroit at the trade deadline. Coming off the bench, Bogdanovic struggled to recapture his scoring spark while coming off the bench, averaging 10.4 points and 2.0 rebounds in just over 19 minutes a game. Bogdanovic did score 13 points in the opening game of the Knicks' playoff trek against the Philadelphia 76ers but was lost to a foot injury after four games.

The 35-year-old, due $19 million next season, returns to Atlantic Avenue after spending the first two-plus seasons of his NBA career with the Nets, averaging 11.2 points before he was traded to the Washington Wizards in 2017.

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Geoff Magliocchetti

GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI

Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks

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