Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Donte DiVincenzo have earned the nickname "Nova Knicks" after New York made trades to bring all three Villanova alumni together. They've had plenty of success, but one important player is missing from that group — Nets wing Mikal Bridges, who played alongside all three as a fellow Wildcat.
Hart has joked about Bridges being away from the crew. When asked about his former college teammate, he invoked a popular Spongebob meme in which the character Squidward looks longingly at his friends playing together.
Josh Hart is hilarious lmaooo 😂
— Hater Report (@HaterReport_) March 23, 2024
“It’s like that SpongeBob meme when Squidward is looking out the window and he sees SpongeBob and Patrick having fun. [Mikal] is Squidward.” pic.twitter.com/PELGZvPIqe
Could the Knicks make a move to add a fourth Nova Knick in Bridges? He could certainly help them, and there are trade possibilities that would make sense for both franchises.
MORE: How Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo went from Villanova to NBA teammates
Mikal Bridges contract details
Bridges will earn $23.3 million in 2024-25 and $24.9 million in 2025-26 before becoming an unrestricted free agent, per Spotrac.
Mikal Bridges Knicks trade
The trade:
Knicks get:
- Mikal Bridges
Nets get:
- Bojan Bogdanovic
- Jericho Sims
- 2024 Knicks first round pick (no. 25 overall)
- 2025 First round pick via Bucks (top-four protected)
- 2026 Knicks first round pick (unprotected)
Why the Knicks do it
The Knicks already have a great wing in O.G. Anunoby that they traded for at the deadline. But you can never have enough of those types of players. Additionally, given how often Anunoby has been hurt already, Bridges would be great insurance while lessening Anunoby's minutes load.
Tom Thibodeau loves players who can switch interchangeably. It's been a big part of the team's success, with DiVincenzo, Hart, and Anunoby easily able to change matchups whenever they want. Bridges would give them even more versatility. He's only two years removed from finishing runner-up in Defensive Player of the Year voting, thanks to his 7-foot-1 wingspan and elite help instincts on the wing.
Bridges' defense hasn't been at that same level since moving to Brooklyn. Nobody guarded on that team last year. Thibodeau would definitely get the most out of him and bring him back to that All-Defense level. The Knicks would be virtually guaranteed to have a top defense with Anunoby, Bridges, Isaiah Hartenstein, and Mitchell Robinson all on the roster.
Bridges could also be put in an offensive role that suits him better. He's had to be the man in Brooklyn. With the Knicks, he could play more off Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, using his excellent 3-point shooting to give those two more space. And he could also take over possessions once in a while when those two are on the bench.
The Knicks wouldn't be clearing out their bank account in order to get Bridges. They have up to eight first round picks available to move after the draft, including whoever they select at Nos. 24 and 25 this season.
Three first-rounders is a steep price, but these are the types of moves that teams have to make in order to go from very good to great. This would also leave them with enough to still go after a Donovan Mitchell-type of star when one becomes available.
Why the Nets do it
Bridges is the Nets' best player, so in that respect it doesn't make much sense to move on from him. But while he's a terrific talent, he's clearly not even close to being the best player on a championship team. He's also entering his age 28 season.
The Nets won only 32 games last year, and they're not going to be good over the next few seasons. They don't have any avenues towards landing a superstar, so rebuilding from the ground up might be their best option.
Bridges is extension-eligible and will probably earn somewhere in the $30-40 million range going forward. If the Nets don't want to pay that figure for a No. 3 guy masquerading as a No. 1, then now would be the time to trade him at his peak value.
The Nets don't have a pick in the 2024 draft. They're also out a pick in 2026 and may have to swap their picks in 2025 and 2027 with the Rockets. This trade with the Knicks would replenish their draft assets, which is the only way for them to create some sort of high ceiling outcome. It would also give them an extra pick in what is projected to be a great 2025 draft. And if three first round picks still aren't enough for Bridges, then the Nets could always ask for more — the Knicks have five more to potentially add, along with nine second-rounders.
As for the players coming back, Bojan Bogdanovic is on an expiring deal. The 10-year veteran could never find a good fit with Thibodeau, but he averaged 21.1 points per game over his two years with the Pistons. He was also a nice role player for the Nets to start his career. He could be flipped for some second-round picks and still help a lot of playoff teams, or soak up possessions for Brooklyn as a guy who can still score at a high level.
Jericho Sims is one of the few young prospects on the Knicks. After being taken late in the second round of the 2021 draft, he's looked like a capable backup who can block shots and finish at the rim.
This trade is mostly about getting those picks, though. The Nets were a good drafting team previously and built the most fun iteration of their team organically. This gives Sean Marks a chance to try that route once again.
