Former Teammate Praises Knicks Star After Trade

Mikal Bridges needed a big package for the Brooklyn Nets to move him, and the New York Knicks paid up.

Jeremy Brener | Jul 8, 2024

Apr 10, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges (1) warms up before a game against the Toronto Raptors at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

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New York Knicks

The New York Knicks gave up a ton to acquire Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets in a trade that was made official over the weekend.

The Knicks gave up Bojan Bogdanovic, Shake Milton, Mamadi Diakite, unprotected first-round picks in 2025, 2027, 2029 and 2031, a top-four protected pick from the Milwaukee Bucks, an unprotected first-round pick swap in 2028 and a future second-round pick in exchange for Bridges, Keita Bates-Diop and a future second-round pick.

The Nets are now adjusting to life without Bridges, and his former teammate Noah Clowney spoke on what the trade means for New York.

"To get traded for five first-round picks is superstar type things. No shade, that's my dog, I love him," Clowney said.

Bridges, 28, had a similar reaction when he was traded last year to the Nets. He was the key piece in the deal that sent Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns, so to be traded for such a big package was an honor for him.

"It's KD," Bridges said back in February 2023 via ESPN writer Nick Friedell. "I get it. I 100 percent get it. That's just how it is. I would rather say I'd rather be happy that I got traded for KD than probably like somebody else who I didn't think would be good or something like that. So just being a realist at the end of the day. ... You're getting Kevin Durant, bro. Maybe I would have probably made that trade too."

Bridges was also dealt next to a number of future draft selections, so to be on the other end of a deal like that should make him feel good.

The Knicks very clearly wanted Bridges, reuniting him with his former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart. They paid up and now they are very clearly in the championship contender conversation for years to come. That being said, with Bridges coming in for all those picks, the Knicks have to win the title with him in town, otherwise this deal will end up having New York on the losing side.

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Published Jul 8, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.