Mikal Bridges’ move to the New York Knicks has reunited him with his 2016 NCAA-winning Villanova Wildcats teammates. For the 27-year-old, this transition to the other side of the Brooklyn Bridge meant so much more than that. It’s an opportunity for him to represent a prestigious franchise as the NBA star remained confident about fitting in perfectly with the Knicks squad.
Advertisement
During his appearance on Podcast P with Paul George, Bridges focused on the bigger picture and acknowledged the importance of building on his existing chemistry with former college teammates Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo. Following this, he discussed the necessity of developing strong connections with the rest of the Knicks roster,
“I’m just excited to be with the Knicks. But obviously, them three… I know how to play every single one of them… Everybody else, with OG [Anunoby], Julius [Randle], I like the team we have… Can’t wait for the first days when we trying to just figure out what we’re gonna do and how we’re connecting and that whole building stage, it takes time… It’s gonna be a lot of ups and downs but it’s worth it”.
This showed Bridges‘ exemplary mindset as a competitor and teammate. He recognized the importance of earning the trust of his new roster members during this transition. Moreover, the Philadelphia-born understood how building these relationships was crucial to helping the Knicks contend for the title.
This, in turn, proved how the franchise was smart to trade for Bridges. After all, these were the exact qualities they were seeking in their newest recruit.
The Bridges trade could become a game-changer for the Knicks
Following their playoff struggles in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals, the franchise was set on strengthening their roster. Around this time, Josh Hart allegedly started pushing the management to make a move for Bridges. Eventually, after days of consideration and discussions, the Brooklyn Nets finally agreed on a deal with the Knicks.
However, this cost the Knicks a fortune. To acquire Bridges, Keita Bates-Diop, a 2026 2nd-round pick, and draft rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet in a package deal, they gave up on Bojan Bogdanovic, Mamadi Diakite, and Shake Milton, unprotected 1st-round picks in 2025, 2027, 2029, and 2031, an unprotected pick swap in 2028, a top-four protected 2025 1st-round pick from the Bucks, and a 2nd-round pick in 2025.
This high-risk gamble could pay off immensely if Bridges stays on the course in the coming years. As it stands, he is looking to do precisely this. So, if his efforts lead to a championship, the Knicks will have no regrets about their bold move.
