OT: Mikal Bridges Traded to the Knicks

[nomar]

I didn't know there were Nets fans...

A lot of NJ Nets fans still follow the team (a buddy of mine living in Westchester has a ticket package) and a lot of people in Brooklyn who weren't big Knicks fans have adopted them. I see more Nets merch in Brooklyn than I see Knicks merch, honestly. (I repeat: in Brooklyn.) It was pretty electric when they got KG & Pierce (and later when they got KD and Kyrie).

Attendance hasn't been bad, although tickets numbers are always unreliable:

The Brooklyn Nets report nearly 99% attendance at Barclays Center home games. However, gate count and *paid* tickets unclear.

In the past NBA season, the Brooklyn Nets dropped in attendance rank from eleventh to 21st, according to ESPN, but only saw a fractional dec...

atlanticyardsreport.blogspot.com

Selfishly, I'm an 8-minute walk away from Barclays, so I'd like them to be competitive. When my kids are older, I'd like to go more frequently.

And I get that you're just roasting the Nets but they won 2 ABA titles after your team last won an NBA title.

 

[HuskyHawk]

Trading that many picks doesn't typically work out. "They'll be late first round picks anyways".

The Nets know that better than anyone. They just watched all their picks win an NBA championship. I have to wonder if that inspired them to do this.

 

[HuskyHawk]

He knows nothing about basketball, anything and you can hear the other know nothing Skip in the background.

Fixed it for you.

 

[EricCantona]

Of course 5 picks is a lot. But 2 of the picks are our 2025 1st and Milwaukee's 2025 1st. Never want to assume, but seems like those 2 picks would be late 1st rounders unless disaster strikes for either team. Way I look at it, it's 3 unprotected picks in 27, 29, and 31 that are of real value to Brooklyn. I can live with it.

 

[AntG168]

You think this team is better than the Celtics?

“Better” is a strange way to look at it for me.

They are absolutely designed to neutralize them.

Boston is a bit of a paper tiger to me. They beat for the most part a Mitch-less cavs, Jimmy-less heat, and for the most part a Halliburton-less pacers. Extremely lucky. They handled their business against Dallas so they deserve to be respected.
However I don’t believe they are this juggernaut. I think healthy the Knicks would’ve took them to 6-7 games this season.

But just for the fun of it:

Brunson - Holiday
Bridges - White
OG - Brown
Randle - Tatum
Robinson - Porzingis
Divencenzo - pritchard
Hart - Horford
McBride - Hauser
Achiuwa- ?

 

[bendm]

I would expect Randle and Robinson are gone.

randle and robinson are both under long term contracts and projected starters. theyre going to resign OG and Achiuwa is a restricted free agent. the only starter that's gone is hartenstein.

Brunson- McBride
Bridges- DD
Anunoby- Hart
Randle
Robinson- Achiuwa

that's a better top 9 than Boston

 

[AntG168]

randle and robinson are both under long term contracts and projected starters. theyre going to resign OG and Achiuwa is a restricted free agent. the only starter that's gone is hartenstein.

Brunson- McBride
Bridges- DD
Anunoby- Hart
Randle
Robinson- Achiuwa

that's a better top 9 than Boston

I think Brunson is every bit as good as Tatum. Call me crazy. I also think Mikel and OG would give Tatum and Brown fits

 

[bendm]

I think Brunson is every bit as good as Tatum. Call me crazy. I also think Mikel and OG would give Tatum and Brown fits

bridges and OG are better equipped to defend brown and tatum than any other wing duo

 

[navery12]

randle and robinson are both under long term contracts and projected starters. theyre going to resign OG and Achiuwa is a restricted free agent. the only starter that's gone is hartenstein.

Brunson- McBride
Bridges- DD
Anunoby- Hart
Randle
Robinson- Achiuwa

that's a better top 9 than Boston

Achiuwa is definitely gone, they can't afford him. They only have ~$41M in cap space before signing OG and any of their 3 draft picks

 

[bendm]

knicks are gonna try to win it with this group in the next two years. by that time, if it doesnt work, giannis will only have 1 year remaining on his deal and a player option. he will force a sign and trade to the knicks. theyll give up randle and 1 or 2 other guys not named Brunson.

 

[bendm]

Achiuwa is definitely gone, they can't afford him. They only have ~$41M in cap space before signing OG and any of their 3 draft picks

idk how much OG is going to get but achiuwa was only getting $4mill. regardless they just need a serviceable backup big then

 

[AntG168]

Achiuwa is definitely gone, they can't afford him. They only have ~$41M in cap space before signing OG and any of their 3 draft picks

He’s restricted. They can match any offer. They’re over the second apron anyway

 

[Zissou]

So any chance Jay might be interested in reliving some memories as well?

I don’t think so. 1) he has said too often that he no longer has the needed drive; 2) maybe he could have had the job a year or two ago, but Thibs has earned the role for next year.

 

[navery12]

He’s restricted. They can match any offer. They’re over the second apron anyway

They took back more money than they sent out in the Bridges deal (as it's currently reported). They're hard capped at $178M and can't go above it even to match an Achiuwa offer

 

[CardiacAndre7]

I think Brunson is every bit as good as Tatum. Call me crazy. I also think Mikel and OG would give Tatum and Brown fits

Mitch is the issue here. He isn’t guarding Kristaps on the wing without fouling, and they don’t have a viable backup right now.

This team is built to play the C’s but the C’s are still a better team.

 

[Zissou]

Has anything close to this happened before? A NCAA champs team reconnecting as an NBA team?

 

[KemBuckets21]

randle and robinson are both under long term contracts and projected starters. theyre going to resign OG and Achiuwa is a restricted free agent. the only starter that's gone is hartenstein.

Brunson- McBride
Bridges- DD
Anunoby- Hart
Randle
Robinson- Achiuwa

that's a better top 9 than Boston

Certainly deeper, and they matchup well. Don't see a lot of shooting in the starting 5 if they do in fact keep Robinson and Randle. Teams are going to be navigating towards as many 5 out lineups as they can. I also don't like Bridges or Anunoby as secondary facilitators, so Randle might actually help in that regard in order to maximize Brunson's shot making skills.

Randle is not under long term contract, He has one year left and a player option for 25-26.

Mitchell has two years left at ~ 12m

This is not how anyone would define long term. I think they'll look to move one or both of these guys.

 

[AntG168]

Mitch is the issue here. He isn’t guarding Kristaps on the wing without fouling, and they don’t have a viable backup right now.

This team is built to play the C’s but the C’s are still a better team.

Going small with Randle at the 5(Brunson, Divo/Hart, Bridges, OG, Randle) solves that problem and maximizes the talent. Thibs just won’t do it

 

[bendm]

Certainly deeper, and they matchup well. Don't see a lot of shooting in the starting 5 if they do in fact keep Robinson and Randle. Teams are going to be navigating towards as many 5 out lineups as they can. I also don't like Bridges or Anunoby as secondary facilitators, so Randle might actually help in that regard in order to maximize Brunson's shot making skills.

Randle is not under long term contract, He has one year left and a player option for 25-26.

Mitchell has two years left at ~ 12m

This is not how anyone would define long term. I think they'll look to move one or both of these guys.

long term = not on an expiring contract. i dont see them acquiring a starting PF and C in any trade(s) involving randle or robinson which is what they would need. the time for accumulating assets is over the knicks clearly just signaled that they are going for it.

 

[KemBuckets21]

long term = not on an expiring contract. i dont see them getting front court starters back for randle or robinson which is what they would need. the time for accumulating assets is over they are going for it.

Not saying they're not going for it, I'm saying I think they comb the league for players that could be better floor spacing threats.

 

[bendm]

Not saying they're not going for it, I'm saying I think they comb the league for players that could be better floor spacing threats.

ok i can see them playing OJ as a stretch PF and starting Hart at SF so then there are two possible trade options:

1) they trade randle for two quality bench players including a backup big
starters= brunson / bridges / hart / oj / robinson
bench = mcbride / DD / bench / bench

2) they bundle randle and robinson for an elite starting center and a backup big.
starters= brunson / bridges / hart / oj / starter
bench= mcbride / DD / bench

option 2 would be better if they can find a suitable trade partner, but who....

 

[navery12]

So what's the hope for the Knicks at 24 and 25 tonight for everyone? My dream is Tyler Kolek at 24 and Da'Ron Holmes at 25. Also intrigued by Scheierman, Missi, Ware

 

[CardiacAndre7]

So what's the hope for the Knicks at 24 and 25 tonight for everyone? My dream is Tyler Kolek at 24 and Da'Ron Holmes at 25. Also intrigued by Scheierman, Missi, Ware

Was just saying to my buddies, Holmes/Ware should be priority 1. Really like Holmes’ versatility as a counter to Mitch, just not sure how he will be defensively against 5s.

 

[navery12]

Was just saying to my buddies, Holmes/Ware should be priority 1. Really like Holmes’ versatility as a counter to Mitch, just not sure how he will be defensively against 5s.

Yeah that's the question with him, hopefully Thibs would be able to coach him up on defense. I've resigned myself to Ryan Dunn being one of the picks, he seems like a prototypical Thibs guy

 

[bendm]

So what's the hope for the Knicks at 24 and 25 tonight for everyone? My dream is Tyler Kolek at 24 and Da'Ron Holmes at 25. Also intrigued by Scheierman, Missi, Ware

bundle their two 1st rounders and trade up for Edey