After an unimaginable 2023-24 NBA season, the place the New York Knicks appeared to take it to a different stage whereas level guard Jalen Brunson turned a professional famous person and the face of the franchise, the staff’s brass wasn’t content material with its squad and was decided to make some modifications.
That preliminary change was pulling off a blockbuster commerce with the crosstown-rival Brooklyn Nets to accumulate ahead Mikal Bridges, including one other former Villanova star into the combo, which appears to be a successful system proper now.
The commerce to usher in Bridges despatched shockwaves all through the league, as nobody noticed it coming.
Nobody was extra relieved with the commerce than Bridges himself as he went from a struggling franchise on the verge of rebuilding to a staff that might doubtlessly be a professional title contender heading into the 2024-25 NBA season.
“In the beginning, it was tough in Brooklyn,” Bridges stated. “We were losing. Even personally, I didn’t handle it as well as I could have. I always preach mental toughness and never losing your spirit, but it was just something I never dealt with like that.”
Mikal Bridges says he didn’t deal with the dropping in Brooklyn in addition to he ought to have pic.twitter.com/crwTxK1QJU
Fortuitously for Bridges, there’s an excellent probability he can put the dropping behind him, because the Knicks didn’t cease at simply including him to the roster, as additionally they not too long ago traded Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Minnesota Timberwolves in alternate for Karl-Anthony Cities.
The Knicks now have already probably the most intimidating beginning fives within the league and might be the hardest competitors for the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics within the Japanese Convention because of this.