Nets and Knicks kick off 2024 NBA Draft with large, difficult Mikal Bridges commerce

The Nets have regained management of their future heading into the 2024 NBA Draft by making two large offers on the eve of the large day.

In the primary, Brooklyn will ship Mikal Bridges to reunite along with his Villanova buddies throughout town with the New York Knicks in trade for FIVE first-round picks, a decide swap and a second-rounder, and in one other, they’ll get their very own 2026 first-rounder again from the Houston Rockets for a hefty worth.

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN was all around the information:

Our personal Anthony Puccio of Nets Daily famous that the Bridges commerce is historic not only for the treasure trove Brooklyn bought again, however as the primary commerce because the two franchises began sharing a metropolis:

As Woj famous, the largest takeaway from all these musical chairs is that Brooklyn has now retaken management of its future to a better diploma. With their 2026 decide again from the Rockets — it was initially despatched out of their deal for James Harden, who has since (in)famously been traded two extra instances — the Nets can freely tank and never have to fret about sending a doubtlessly helpful future decide to the Rockets.

For examples of the doable ramifications of this, one solely wants to take a look at the draft tomorrow: Houston has the No. 3 decide on this draft as a result of the Nets weren’t adequate round Bridges to keep away from giving up lottery picks as a part of the continuing Harden deal fallout, in order that they bought one of many NBA’s most useful function gamers for extra picks whereas reclaiming their potential to get the advantages of being unhealthy.

The worth they paid to the Rockets for that proper was steep — extra difficult multi-team decide swaps, and a Suns first-rounder that may very well be gold if that crew continues its costly implosion, however in the end possible… nets… out as a win for Brooklyn as a result of it allowed them to get a haul for Bridges from the Knicks with out having to fret they’d simply ship a helpful decide to Houston as a part of a prolonged rebuild.

For the Knicks, this a steep worth that massively cuts into their war chest of assets, however it could be price it so as to add Bridges to their core of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo as the ultimate Villanova infinity stone. With Julius Randle’s contract nonetheless obtainable to make use of in offers and OG Anunoby’s future increasingly uncertain — even with Woj noting New York still wants to keep him — it stays to be seen how sturdy this Knicks basis could be.

Still, it’s laborious to not think about a devastatingly harmful crew if Bridges — a infamous NBA ironman — can maintain up below Thibs’ notorious minutes masses after watching how nicely they did with out that good sort of 3-and-D wing within the 2024 NBA playoffs whereas coping with so many accidents. This may very well be an NBA Finals crew optimistically and a few extra sensible strikes.

Or, as Posting and Toasting put it…

For Houston? It looks as if the aim remains to be in flux, and as regular for the Rockets, perpetually chaotic: Trying to get Kevin Durant. Yes, significantly.

The ramifications of this big, complicated deal will certainly proceed to trickle out, however for now, past Brooklyn taking again management of its personal future, just one factor is evident: If these are the fireworks groups are setting off on the eve of the draft, the subsequent week of draft and free company insanity guarantees to be explosive.

This breaking information story could also be up to date because it continues to develop. Follow Nets Daily, The Dream Shake and Posting and Toasting for the newest on the Nets, Rockets and Knicks angles of all this, respectively.