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.

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

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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