Getty Josh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks reacts with Jalen Brunson #11 during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
The New York Knicks are one of the three teams monitoring the availability of Brooklyn Nets star Mikal Bridges, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer.
“Brooklyn Nets swingman Mikal Bridges, according to league sources, is a player to monitor among Utah’s most aggressive aspirations. The Jazz are said to be right in the mix with Houston, holding the No. 3 pick, and New York, where three of Bridges’ college teammates currently play, among the teams that continue to check with Brooklyn about the availability of its 27-year-old swingman,” Fischer wrote on June 24.
The Nets continue to reject trade offers for the 3-and-D star, who has only two years left on his four-year, $90 million contract.
Bridges is the missing piece that would complete the Knicks’ Villanova championship puzzle. A trade to the Knicks would reunite him with his college teammates Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo. The quartet won the national championship in 2016 at Villanova under Jay Wright.
Bill Simmons Believes Knicks Would Overpay for Mikal Bridges
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons believes the Knicks would overpay just to get Bridges.
“I really think they’re going to get Mikal Bridges as the big target. I think that’s who they want,” Simmons said on “The Bill Simmons” podcast on May 20.
The Knicks have plenty of draft picks to offer but the problem is the Nets are holding on to Bridges as they believe he would attract a star to come play with him in Brooklyn.
“I think [the Knicks] are going to try and overpay because I think they want those four Villanova guys together, and I don’t think they want like a major star. They want somebody like that,” Simmons continued.
The Knicks and the Nets, however, have not made a trade since 1983. That is why Simmons thinks if the Knicks are to acquire Bridges, they must overpay.
“I think if it’s 120 cents on the dollar,” Simmons said. “I just don’t know why you want Mikal Bridges if you’re [the Nets] going nowhere. That’s a guy who should be on a good team and on a [Knicks] team like that unless you feel like you can get [Donovan] Mitchell or Devin Booker.
Josh Hart Ribs Mikal Bridges For Trying to Recruit Him
When Hart poked fun of his guesting as an analyst during the NBA Finals, Bridges found the opening to recruit him.
Hart captioned his Instagram photo looking sleek in his suit as TV analyst for the ABC coverage, “Might quit my day job.”
“Come to the Nets?” wrote Bridges on June 10 under the comment section.
Hart quickly shut down the idea and snapped back with a hilarious response.
“Are you ok? If they have you hostage just blink and we’ll save you,” Hart replied.
Hart has Bridges’ number in their friendly banter which started in the Knicks-Nets games.
Hart called Bridges “Squidward” during their last meeting which saw the Knicks extending their mastery over the Nets 105-93 on March 23.
“It’s like that SpongeBob meme when Squidward is looking out the window and he sees Spongebob and Patrick having fun,” Hart told reporters, per New York Daily News, after the win. “[Mikal] is Squidward.”
Bridges just brushed off Hart’s comments.
“Josh says too much,” Bridges told reporters. “He’s a goof, man! He just plays around all the time and he just says a lot of crazy stuff.”