Knicks Among Teams Linked to Nets Star
The New York Knicks are still in the mix for a potential trade for a star this offseason, and Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges is on their radar.
Yahoo! Sports insider Jake Fischer says that the Knicks are among three teams still linked to Bridges in trade rumors.
"Brooklyn Nets swingman Mikal Bridges, according to league sources, is a player to monitor among Utah's most aggressive aspirations. The Jazz are said to be right in the mix with Houston, holding the No. 3 pick, and New York, where three of Bridges' college teammates currently play, among the teams that continue to check with Brooklyn about the availability of its 27-year-old swingman," Fischer writes.
The Knicks have long been linked to Bridges due to his connections on the roster. Bridges went to Villanova for college and played alongside Knicks star Jalen Brunson. The pair even won two championships together with the Wildcats in 2016 and 2018. He also played with Josh Hart on both of those squads and Donte DiVincenzo on the 2018 team.
The Knicks have the connection for Bridges, but they also have the assets to do so as well. The Knicks have a pair of picks in this week's NBA Draft and they also have players like Miles McBride and Bojan Bogdanovic that they can send to the Nets to mtch salaries.
The Nets, however, have been adamant about the fact that they don't wish to trade Bridges.
"The Nets have expressed zero interest in trading Bridges, according to league sources who have been in contact with them — and it’s not like they haven’t had opportunities. Other teams have offered hoards of first-rounders; Brooklyn hasn’t engaged," The Athletic's Fred Katz writes. "According to league sources, Brooklyn’s front office has told teams it views Bridges as a costar to whichever big name it can trade for down the line. That’s the organization’s long-term plan — though all it takes for the blueprint to change is one hint from Bridges that he wouldn’t re-sign in a couple of seasons."
The Nets hope that they can last long enough to where Bridges can be a pillar of the franchise when they are good again. But he's their best asset to build for the future, and it may get to a point where the package he can bring back in return is better than what he can bring.
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.