League sources told Yahoo Sports that rival teams were sensing Brooklyn’s increasing desire to part ways with Bridges in recent days. Utah and Houston were two other teams that league personnel mentioned were actively involved in pursuing Bridges. The Nets had rejected offers for Bridges in previous transaction cycles that included four first-round selections, sources said. And as of Monday, none of Brooklyn’s talks with those three teams or others were considered anything close to serious, sources said. That is unless the Knicks return with four unprotected first-rounders – starting in 2025 – plus a protected first-round pick from the Bucks, and then swap first-round picks with New York for Brooklyn in 2028. , league sources confirmed to Yahoo Sports.
All of this equates to a total of six years of draft capital, one of the largest – if not the largest – returns for a player who was never named an All-Star in NBA history. Bridges is certainly more valuable to the Knicks than any other team, given the chance to land the fourth Wildcat from Villanova’s three-year run behind Jalen Brunson, who won national titles in 2016 and 2018. The Bridges is also marked as one of the best options in New York. Boston’s lineup of two-way wings has been found to compete with the one that claimed this year’s championship. Sources said Bridges always had his eye on New York, especially after the Knicks added Donte DiVincenzo last summer after the February 2023 trade deadline deal that brought Josh Hart to the door. Sources said these Wildcat connections run deep and Kyle Lowry has also been mentioned in NBA statistics as a target for New York.
However, Bridges did not request a trade this week, sources said. If anything, it’s a sign that Brooklyn surveyed the market for potential additions this summer and didn’t find the star running mate the Nets personnel had long hoped Bridges would help lure to Brooklyn. Damian Lillard definitely had the Nets eyeing him last summer, but he ended up in Milwaukee. The entire league is preparing for Donovan Mitchell to sign an extension with Cleveland. And the appointment of Jordi Fernandez – the highly regarded Canadian national team head coach, who last served as an assistant to Mike Brown – to the Nets’ sideline brings Brooklyn a first-year bench leader with a chance to make the postseason. And there was experience and openness for youngsters to compete. Build a program more than just a competitor-focused head coach like Mike Budenholzer.
Of course, the Nets were always aware of Bridges’ interest in joining New York. The Knicks raised their hopes Tuesday with a significant offer that Brooklyn simply couldn’t refuse, sources said, marking the first time these two neighboring franchises have made a deal since 1983. That coordination alone was a shock to many seasoned observers of the league. When Kevin Durant first requested a trade from the Nets during the summer of 2022, various Brooklyn personnel vowed that the club would never send the All-Star to Madison Square Garden. The Knicks pledged five of their available eight first-round picks, which once New York determined it was too much for Mitchell, was apparently enough for the Nets to work across the bridge. .
Of course, things are very different above Penn Station, because New York negotiations with Utah broke down. Brunson has since emerged as a true MVP candidate, becoming one of the most acclaimed playoff scorers in the league. New York was inches away from the Eastern Conference Finals, and a healthy Knicks team had convinced many in the league that it was the biggest threat to challenge Boston in the East. Adding Bridges could strengthen that sentiment, even if Philadelphia is able to steal Paul George from the Los Angeles Clippers. All signs point to New York also re-signing OG Anunoby, and you’ve got plenty of failure on the defensive side of Boston’s drive and kick against Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
It’s a hell of an argument for Brunson to sign the four-year, $156 million extension he is eligible to sign on July 12. For all that money, it would still represent a massive underpayment for a new All-Star from the fifth spot. MVP is over. This could be a watershed moment in the NBA marketplace, with Brunson actively opting out of the less than $100 million available to him next summer over players of his caliber who have commanded absolute top dollar for the past decade. There will be a seismic effect. This is an corrective move from when LeBron James suffered a pay cut in his Miami days. However, the finances will be far more challenging for New York to create a long-term winner, and the Knicks may already be denying Isaiah Hartenstein unrestricted free agency due to cap restrictions following the Bridges deal.
Despite the Bills making a clear pivot towards a rebuild, the Nets are still likely to re-sign Nic Claxton. Brooklyn received Bojan Bogdanovic as a salary match for Bridges, and the veteran could get some immediate re-trade value for the Nets. Bogdanovic is expected to return by October after season-ending foot and wrist surgery, sources said. If you need further proof of Brooklyn’s pivot, the Nets made a follow-up deal with Houston after the Bridges blockbuster. In short, Brooklyn had been discussing various modalities with the Rockets since the trade deadline about sending the Nets’ pick back to Barclays Center. It all adds up to the fact that Brooklyn could directly benefit from a drop in the standings – and Houston may not be awarded the No. 3 seed again.
The Nets got back the pick swap they previously sent to Houston as part of the January 2021 James Harden trade, they got their 2026 first-round pick back, and then the Houston Phoenix from the Durant-to-Suns trade. Sent back a 2027 first-round pick. On the previous year’s time frame, as well as the other Suns’ swaps. Full terms, per source:
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Houston waived the 2025 right to exchange HOU/OKC’s first-round selection for BKN’s first-round selection
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Houston wins 2025 right to swap HOU/OKC for PHX first
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Brooklyn first acquires 2026 BKN
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Houston first acquires 2027 PHX
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Houston obtained the 2029 more favorable DAL 1st and PHX 1st, and Houston obtained the 2029 right to swap HOU 1st for the less favorable DAL 1st and PHX 1st (stated another way, Houston DAL, HOU and receives/retains PHX’s two most favorable spots, and Brooklyn gains/retains DAL’s, HOU’s, and PHX’s least favorable spot.
For several weeks, the NBA has been labeling George’s decision to stay in Los Angeles and test the open market — or perhaps opt out of the final year and nearly $50 million on his contract and request a trade. For – as a major domino this offseason. Their outcome affects the potential outcomes and cap space of many teams, and therefore many players who could stand to gain or lose their own options. Bridges to New York directly impacts Hartenstein, but could its biggest impact be to further incite teams willing to trade for the final piece that could get them into trouble?
