The Mikal Bridges blockbuster trade surprised fans — and even his former college teammates and new Knicks running mates.
On the “Roommates Show” podcast they co-host, Knicks guards Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart opened up about their reactions to the team adding Bridges from the Nets.
“I never thought it would happen,” Brunson said. “When’s the last time the Nets made a trade with the Knicks?”
Hart not only provided an answer to the aforementioned question — 1983 — but also delved deeper into his own initial skepticism of New York even having the chance to acquire Bridges.
“You don’t think it’s really going to happen, but you’re like, ‘You know what? Let me just go mess with ‘kal,’” Hart said, referring to postgame discussions in matchups between the Knicks and Nets. “Because that’s my guy.”
Hart added that his distrust stemmed from Nets fans trolling him on social media.
“Nets fans just be saying random stuff all the time,” Hart quipped.
Knicks president Leon Rose made the far-fetched hypothetical a reality when he pulled the trigger on a deal to land Bridges on June 25, sending the crosstown rivals Bogdan Bogdanovic, Shake Milton, five first-round picks, a second-round pick and a pick swap.
Brunson, Bridges, Hart and fellow Knick Donte DiVincenzo were all part of the 2015-16 Villanova squad that won the national title, although Bridges and DiVincenzo were more limited bench pieces.
Despite losing Hart to the league, Brunson, Bridges and DiVincenzo returned to claim the program’s second championship in three years in 2018, with Brunson winning National Player of the Year.
Jay Wright’s products weren’t teammates again until 2023 — when Brunson inked a four-year, $104 million deal to come to the Knicks and Hart was acquired by the team in a trade with the Trail Blazers.
The college recruiting pitch clearly held appeal to DiVincenzo, who signed with the Knicks for four years and $46.8 million in 2023.
In the Knicks’ first year of the Villanova triumvirate, the team went 50-32, posting ther best record since 2012-13.
Brunson paved the way, his 28.7 points per game, helping him become a first-time All-Star and finish fifth in MVP voting.
Despite having the former Wildcats standouts and other solid players in O.G. Anunoby, Isaiah Hartenstein and Deuce McBride, the depleted Knicks fell to the Indiana Pacers in a thrilling seven-game Eastern Conference semifinal series.
Having added Bridges and retained Anunoby, expectations are high for the suddenly powerhouse Knicks to reach their first NBA Finals since 1999.
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