NBA Trades: Knicks make blockbuster move for Mikal Bridges on eve of NBA Draft

NBA Trades: The New York Knicks make a blockbuster move for Mikal Bridges on the eve of the 2024 NBA Draft.

The New York Knicks have made their big splash of the offseason and have seemingly found the missing piece of their championship puzzle. On the eve of the 2024 NBA Draft, the New York Knicks have agreed to a deal that will land them Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for a flurry of picks.

First reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Knicks will send a total of five first-round picks (four unprotected), a pick swap, a second-round pick, and Bojan Bogdanovic to the Nets in exchange for Bridges and a second-round pick.

This is a deal that makes a ton of sense for both sides as the Knicks get a strong supporting star player in Bridges and the Nets get to jump-start their rebuild with adding five future first-round picks to their asset chest. Now the Nets will be able to rebuild their team from ground up, something that was put in motion when they traded Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving at the 2023 NBA Trade Deadline.

Now Brooklyn has doubled down and completely pivoted toward a rebuilding of their roster. Even though the cost was steep, you have to love this move for New York.

Mikal Bridges could be the missing championship piece

On paper, there's an argument to be made that Bridges could emerge as the missing piece for the Knicks. Looking at how they struggled in the postseason, in which they ran out of gas against the Indiana Pacers, Bridges is a player who will take significant pressure off Jalen Brunson on the offensive end of the floor. He'll also be a huge difference-maker alongside OG Anunoby, assuming New York is able to re-sign him this summer.

Even though Bridges didn't exactly work as a No. 1 option for the Nets, he should fit perfectly in New York. Bridges as your No. 1 won't equate to much team success. However, if Bridges is your No. 2, 3, or 4, that's a championship formula. And with the Knicks, that's exactly the type of role he's going to assume depending on how the rest of the offseason goes for New York.

The Knicks still have plenty of work to do this offseason, beginning with re-signing Anunoby and figuring out what to do at the center position with Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein, who will also be testing free agency himself. But there's no question that this is a strong first move for New York.