Josh Hart was traded for one first-round pick.
Mikal Bridges was a standout in Friday's interstate game, scoring five points for the Knicks.
And while it wasn't an encouraging start for Bridges in Manhattan, his teammates brought a cautious perspective to the blockbuster discussion.
“I think he's five times better than me,” Hart joked. “But, well, you can't judge these deals right now, especially deals like this. We have five first-round picks, but we don't know what kind of players those first-round picks are going to be. No one knows who will be able to play like that, so I don't think there's any pressure.”
Hart is absolutely right to withhold evaluation.
But that doesn't erase early concerns about Bridges' struggles in the first few weeks of this campaign, with both Karl-Anthony Towns (knee contusion) and Miles McBride (illness) sidelined on Friday. So, that storyline took on added importance.
The Knicks needed something bigger and better in their starting backcourt with Bridges and Jalen Brunson.
“I think he’s done a solid job. [Bridges] It could be better. I think we can all be better,” Hart said. “I'm sure we've all been frustrated at times trying to resolve things, but we know it takes time. None of us want it to be an easy and seamless transition. , I didn't expect to go undefeated against Cleveland. No. I knew it was going to take a while.”
When this trade was first revealed in June, the initial reaction, although admittedly not unanimous, was, “How could the Nets do this?” How can they give away their best players to their rivals? How can they help the Knicks win a championship?”
Almost five months later, the answer is still the same, but perhaps Brooklyn's logic is more appreciated, and they're getting more draft picks.
With so many picks, the Knicks currently only control one of their first-round picks through 2030.
And the highlights of the Nets' accomplishments, at least the short-term highlights, may already have changed.
The Knicks sent four of their unprotected first-round draft picks to the Nets in 2025, 2027, 2029, and 2031, as well as a pick swap in 2028.
The top-four protected pick came courtesy of the Bucks, but it suddenly became more interesting given Giannis Antetokounmpo's 4-8 team's struggles.
In other words, it could be as expensive as the Nets' No. 5 pick, which feels like a lottery pick at this point.
Bridges, on the other hand, was hardly underwhelming heading into Friday's matchup.
He tweaked his shooting form, hitting just 30% of his treys and misfires from anywhere but the corners.
But what was more concerning was Bridges' defense.
Although he was promoted as an elite wing-stopper, he ranked near the bottom of advanced defensive statistics until playing against his former team.
After briefly explaining his trade philosophy, manager Tom Thibodeau said, “There are some areas where we're doing well defensively, but there are areas where we need to improve.'' “Obviously, we felt he was a good fit for us. He's been a good player in the league for a long time, so we liked the fit.”
Knicks guard Cam Payne, who was also a teammate with Bridges in Phoenix, agreed it was a defensive adjustment.
“I think so because we had so many defenders,” he said. “So, sometimes he doesn't have the ball all the time. Sometimes he gets off players because he has a lot of players to defend. I don't necessarily think he has a problem with that. I think he's doing it. If he has to switch off, I know he's fine. I know he's not stressing about it.”
Hart described the team's overall defense as “terrible.”
But he also knows there's still time for a conclusion on the Knicks, Bridges, a five-pick blockbuster and a struggling conference.
“We're trying to figure it out,” Hart said. “And sometimes when you try to find it, you don't find it as quickly as you want. It can be frustrating, and that frustration can affect your energy level. At the end of the day, it's Game 10 or Game 12. You have to understand that you're not going to be the best. That's not the goal. The goal is to be the best team in the last game of the season, and hopefully that will be in June. But of course we can't get too frustrated. We know it's going to take time. I think the advantage for the East, at least for now, is that we've lost the first 11 games and are fourth in the standings. So, East got hit a little early. I think that's an advantage for us.”
