Brooklyn Nets' Finney-Smith on Bridges Trade: 'We Built Some Lifelong Connections'

Amid rumors surrounding Finney-Smith's future in Brooklyn, the 31-year-old revealed his immediate reaction to Mikal Bridges' trade to the New York Knicks.

Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

While trade buzz continues to engulf Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith, the 3-and-D wing informed the New York Post that he was actually with Mikal Bridges at the time of Bridges' dealing to the New York Knicks.

The two were working out in Dallas, completely unsuspecting of what was soon to be announced.

“He came out there to get some work in with me,” Finney-Smith told the New York Post. "We still ended up working together, but we started talking trash to each other a little bit because now we’re going to be playing against each other."

The tail end of the 31-year-old's quote indicates that he may not be on his way out of Brooklyn just yet, even if countless reports of interest from opposing teams suggest otherwise.

"But that’s my guy, we built some lifelong connections. Good luck to him.”

Not only did the pairing's workout continue immediately after news of the trade broke, but it also ran over the course of the following days.

"Actually, we still kept training together that whole the next two days after the trade happened,” he said. "So we went from what we’re going to do next year, to we’re about to kick y’all [butt]. You know I’m going to talk [crap]. We got to break that Villanova [crap] up.”

While Finney-Smith repeatedly used the term "we" when referring to the Nets, in the same article he addressed the ever-growing rumors regarding his future with the team.

“I mean, I’m human,” he said. “I’m human. So of course. I’ve got family and stuff always asking me what’s going on and s–t like that. But you know, I’m just honest. So, I’m human, so I’m going to pay attention a little bit. But I can say I’m wherever my feet are at."

The 6-foot-7 forward is slated to make $14.9 million next season in potentially the final year of his contract. He is set to decide on a $15.4 million player option ahead of the 2025-26 season, but could be shipped out in return for future assets within the coming days.

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