Could Knicks Break Trade Embargo With Nets For Mikal Bridges?
The New York Knicks are counting down the clock to the NBA trade deadline and things could get wild as they paradigm-shifting pieces to strengthen their case of contention
Last season's trade deadline saw the Knicks' cross-borough rivals, the Brooklyn Nets, dismantle their latest attempt at a superteam by dealing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving to Dallas and Phoenix respectively. While this year's transactions lack that brand of star power, there's still speculation around current Brooklyn star Mikal Bridges.
The Knicks and Nets franchises have collaborated on only four trades, the last in 1983. Bartering for Bridges, however, would benefit both sides if the respective intentions were to place more offensive firepower in Manhattan and stack up future assets in Brooklyn.
Contributing to a list of trades insiders would "want" to see, ESPN's Bobby Marks suggested a deal where the Knicks acquire Bridges in exchange for reserve guard Quentin Grimes, expiring contract Evan Fournier, and five future first-round picks.
"What happens if one morning Knicks president Leon Rose picks up the phone and calls Nets general manager Sean Marks to offer him an unprecedented five first-round picks and Quentin Grimes?" Marks asks. "That is two more firsts than the Cleveland Cavaliers sent to the Utah Jazz for All-Star Donovan Mitchell."
"Would Marks politely decline, since the thoughts of Bridges in a Knicks uniform would be tough to stomach? Maybe he'd get bold and ask for even more: The Knicks can trade up to a total of eight firsts."
While Marks laments that the deal is unlikely to happen, it's certainly some food for thought.
The imaginary trade would not only replenish the Nets of all their lost assets from their past deals but also create a surplus, allowing the team to truly start over and rebuild. For the Knicks, it's a chance to truly push all of their chips in.
The Knicks (29-17) are sitting on the accumulated picks waiting for that star to come to Madison Square Garden. A deal like this means their next franchise cornerstone won't have to travel too far, and it means the Knicks are aggressive.
Marks is far from the first to present the idea of Bridges joining his fellow Villanova alumni at MSG: after Bridges compared the atmosphere at Barclays Center to a "road game" during a recent Knicks visit, one of those former Wildcats, Josh Hart, humorously told Bridges to "call (him)" on social media.
The Knicks' issue in the past has been their passiveness in pulling the trigger, but if they can get Bridges before the deadline, it would cement themselves as a true contender in the Eastern Conference.
