Some of the New York Knicks are still processing the Mikal Bridges trade.
The Knicks made one of the biggest trades of the NBA offseason, sending five first-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for the elite 3-and-D forward.
It was a steep price to pay, but Bridges not only forms an elite defensive wing duo with OG Anunoby, but he can also space the floor and should serve as a second or third scoring option. And with his Villanova connection to Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, he should easily fit in with the “Nova Knicks.”
The deal remains surreal for the “Nova Knicks.” DiVincenzo He told CBS 6 Albany’s Sam Israel that the trade does not seem “credible”.
“To be honest, it’s not even believable,” DiVincenzo said. “It’s not a situation where we’re trying to go out and do it, we’re talking about it. It’s never been that way. We each went our own way and ended up getting back together.”
“So we’re here to try to win as many games as possible.”
Brunson and Hart had made similar comments on their “Roommates” podcast earlier this summer, saying that although they had publicly joked about landing Bridges last year, they never thought it would actually happen.
Now, a group of players who won a college championship together and appear to be genuinely close friends are all on the same NBA team, nearly a decade later.
The trio of Brunson, DiVincenzo and Hart has helped change the culture of the Knicks. All three players played a lot of minutes during the Knicks’ playoff run and won over fans with their effort and tenacity on the court. Now, they join Bridges, who is probably the second-leading scorer and playmaker and best defender of the four.
Bridges has said he has natural chemistry with his former Villanova teammates, something the Knicks hope will immediately translate to the court next fall.
