What’s next for Knicks after Mikal Bridges trade, including OG Anunoby’s future

Even though the Nets knew Mikal Bridges wanted to be a Knick, they had no reason to move him any time soon.

Bridges is under contract through 2025-26.

So why did Brooklyn trade him – to the Knicks of all places – on Tuesday night?

The Knicks made the Nets an offer they couldn’t refuse, sending a package including five first-round picks and one first-round pick swap across the river to land Bridges.

Bridges is now reunited with old Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Josh Hart. The Nets now have an incredible amount of draft capital to start from scratch under first-year head coach Jordi Fernandez.

This could be a rare NBA trade where both sides “win.”

The Knicks clearly believe adding Bridges to this core pushes them toward title contention.

But they still have some significant decisions to make in the aftermath of the deal.

WHAT ABOUT OG?

As noted last night, this trade doesn’t preclude the Knicks from re-signing OG Anunoby. The club felt like it was in a good place on Anunoby entering the offseason and they still will do everything they can to re-sign Anunoby in free agency. Anunoby is expected to command a deal that starts – at minimum – at $35 million.

New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) celebrates his three point shot against the Indiana Pacers during the first quarter of game seven of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs at Madison Square Garden. / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

As currently constituted, the Bridges trade will leave the Knicks hard-capped at the first apron. So they would be unable to spend above the $178 million first apron, as Yossi Gozlan notes.

But the Knicks and Nets can amend the deal to allow New York the opportunity to send more salary out. If the Knicks send more salary out in the trade than they take in, they can avoid being hard-capped at the first apron. This would probably require looping in a third team on the trade.

Doing so would allow New York to exceed that $178 million apron to build out the rest of the roster.

They may not have to factor Isaiah Hartenstein’s contract into their payroll. As SNY reported on Tuesday, Hartenstein is expected to…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/whats-next-knicks-mikal-bridges-121509323.html

Author : SNY

Publish date : 2024-06-26 12:15:09

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