The ruthless nature of the NBA business rapidly changes a player’s perception of the other. Dorian Finney-Smith undoubtedly can vouch for this following his recent experience with Mikal Bridges. After the latter’s trade to the New York Knicks was finalized, it resulted in a shift in energy amongst the former Brooklyn Nets colleagues, distancing them from one another.
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Weeks later, the 31-year-old publicly discussed the details of this scenario during a recent interview with CltuchPoints’ Erik Slater. He admitted starting off-season training with Bridges while discussing game plans for the upcoming campaign. However, things went spirally downwards following the confirmation of the 27-year-old’s move to New York.
While revealing the subsequent change in energy, Finney-Smith mentioned, “We still kept on training together the next two days after the trade happened. So we went from ‘What we gonna do next year?’ to ‘We bout to kick y’all a**’…We gotta break that Villanova s**t up”.
Dorian Finney-Smith was training with Mikal Bridges when news of the trade broke. He said the vibes of their workouts changed the rest of the week:
"We went from, 'What we gonna do next year?’ to ‘We bout to kick y'all ass… We gotta break that Villanova shit up."
😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/O1yzQgDgwa
— Erik Slater (@erikslater_) July 14, 2024
Amidst the mockery, his words conveyed how the situation drastically changed the players’ individual goals for the coming season. Finney-Smith, for instance, was looking forward to playing his second full season with the then-Nets talisman. However, the trade disrupted his plans, forcing him to restart with a blank slate.
At the same time, Bridges was too ambitious to miss out on this opportunity. On the one hand, it gave him the golden opportunity of representing the Eastern Conference finalists. On the other hand, this move resulted in a reunion of the 2016 NCAA-winning Villanova Wildcats roster. And this, in turn, could become the start of an exciting chapter as the Knicks have bet everything on this.
Mikal Bridges completed the circle
Since lifting two NCAA championships with Jalen Brunson and Donte DiVincenzo and one with Josh Hart, each Villanova alumni went their different ways. Nearly a decade later, however, they are reuniting at the Empire City. As a result, this trade made the fanbase hopeful again, especially after the franchise’s recent success with the rest of the former Villanova boys.
More importantly, the camaraderie has remained intact, giving them a great head start over others. Brunson and Hart, for instance, have grown close to each other, even prompting them to collaborate for a podcast show. Even though DiVincenzo often stays away from headlines, his connection with this duo becomes apparent on the court.
As a result, the foundation is already set for Bridges to undergo a swift transition. After all, Brunson in particular even took a $113 million contract payout to ensure his arrival on the other side of the state. This showcases how confident this group is of their chances to contend for the title together.
So, the stage is ready for them to go out on the floor and repeat the past. But can they do it? That’s what the NBA will find out soon.
