The New York Knicks have surrounded Jalen Brunson with a championship-caliber roster, with a trade for Mikal Bridges among the latest of moves as they retool ahead of next season.
On an episode of “The Roommates Show,” podcast which he hosts with teammate Josh Hart, Brunson reacted to the Knicks’ blockbuster.
“Mikal makes our team better,” Brunson said on the July 4 episode. “What he brings to the table, isn’t like we have to adjust the team in a crazy way. He seamlessly fits. I think it’s great. He’s a dude who can go out there, be disruptive on defense, on-ball and off-ball. He can spot up, create his own shot. He’s just a great asset. That’s why the Nets held him so long, they wanted all those picks. Because they know what he’s capable of.”
In New York, Bridges rejoins his college teammates Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Hart. All four played together at the University of Villanova. The foursome won the NCAA championship together in 2016.
Bridges is coming off of his sixth NBA campaign, and his second with the Nets.
He averaged 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.0 steals per game in 82 appearances with Brooklyn.
Hart Offers Thoughts on Bridges’ Fit
Hart too offered his opinion on how Bridges will mesh with the Knicks’ current roster. He compared what the team will try and accomplish to that of Bridges’ role with the Phoenix Suns.
“You guys got to see it a little bit, in terms of the style he played with Phoenix,” Hart said. “Where it was like catch-and-shoot, play off the catch, get in the lane, those kind of things. You see he was always able to do that. And then obviously he got to Brooklyn, he was their focal point on the offensive end, getting plays called for him, and being efficient.”
But ultimately, Hart says New York will try and get the best of both Bridges. How he played in Brooklyn and in Phoenix.
“We’re going to get a combination of that,” Hart continued. “Where it’s like, obviously he doesn’t have to have the ball all the time and get all the plays. He’s someone who can play off Jalen, and Ju(lius Randle). And very similar to OG (Anunoby) in that aspect, can get their own shot. But then obviously on the defensive end he can guard one through three/four. So it just gives you another tough, lengthy defender to guard some of those guys.”
The addition of Bridges immediately makes the Knicks a better team. And coming off of a 50-win season that also featured multiple significant injuries, title aspirations aren’t farfetched.
Knicks Make Bridges Trade Official
It took seven days for the Bridges trade to become official, as New York worked on securing exemption from being hard capped at the first apron.
In short, they were looking to send out more salary than they were taking in, which leaves them cap flexibility to sign free agents.
Leon Rose and the Knicks front office got what they wanted, sending reserve guard Shake Milton to the Nets in a sign-and-trade.
The final terms of the deal are outlined in a tweet from Knicks Videos of SNY.
New York will take back 28-year-old forward Keita Bates-Diop in the deal. He played just 665 minutes between stints with the Nets and Suns last season.
But in a full-time role with the San Antonio Spurs in 2022-2023, he averaged 9.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.
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