Regrading the controversial Mikal Bridges trade with Knicks on the brink of an NBA Finals berth

The New York Knicks trading four unprotected first-round picks, one protected first-round pick, and a pick swap to the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges was always a controversial move. In the two years since this deal, the trade has been debated numerous times.

With the Knicks up 3-0 against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the NBA Finals in sight, now is a good time to revisit this move from both sides, especially with how well Bridges has played in the conference finals.

As a refresher, here are the full details of the trade.

New York Knicks trade regrade: A-

The perception of this trade, both among Knicks fans and general observers, has changed drastically at various points during Bridges' two-year tenure.

At times, people have viewed the trade as completely catastrophic, due to the Knicks' gutting their draft capital for a sub-All-Star player. This has especially been the case, given their well-documented interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo. The perception of this trade arguably reached a low point during the Knicks' first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks. Through five games, Bridges averaged 7.2 points, while shooting 43.8 percent from the field and 26.7 percent from 3-point land, and when the Knicks went down 2-1, fans were begging for him to be removed from the starting lineup.

Still, Bridges has undeniably been a major reason why the Knicks have made back-to-back conference finals and are now on the verge of making the finals. Since those rocky five games, Bridges is averaging 19.1 points on 69.1 percent shooting from the field and 47.6 percent shooting from beyond the arc. This is paired with elite on-ball defense, something that has especially been evident in the conference finals. Notably, Bridges has held Donovan Mitchell and James Harden to a combined 6-for-23 shooting.

One of the main reasons New York has been so successful over the past two seasons is the defensive duo of Bridges and OG Anunoby. Having two elite on-ball defenders who can limit stars is a true luxury. The current Cavs series and last year's second-round matchup against the Boston Celtics are the two best examples of this. Without trading for Bridges, the Knicks wouldn't have this superpower, nor would they be on the verge of making the finals.

Bridges' offensive inconsistencies can be frustrating. However, I would argue that most of it is role inconsistency; Bridges averaged 6.4 shots during his five-game slump to kick off the playoffs, and has since averaged 12.1 shots. The Knicks using Karl-Anthony Towns as a playmaking hub has helped them lean into an egalitarian style of offense, which has benefited Bridges.

Without a doubt, Bridges' ability to score both spotting up and creating for himself is a massive benefit to the Knicks.

Yes, in a vacuum, four unprotected first-round picks, one protected first-round pick, and a pick swap is an overpay for Bridges. However, given that this trade moved the Knicks into true contention status and might result in their first championship since 1973, it's absolutely worth it. This is especially true considering these picks are less valuable since the Knicks are so good.

Brooklyn Nets trade regrade: A-

The Nets were never going to get more value for Bridges. As such, this trade was always going to be worthwhile for Brooklyn. It was all about the picks for the rebuilding Nets. In the end, Mamadi Diakite, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Shake Milton played a combined 27 games for the Nets.

Thus far, two of the picks have been made, as the Nets drafted Nolan Traoré at pick 19 and Ben Saraf at pick 26 last year. Both players showed solid upside as rookies. Traoré in particular was promising, averaging 8.9 points and 3.8 assists. Despite shooting below 40 percent from the field and below 50 percent at the rim, Traoré's blend of playmaking and speed remains intriguing.

Still, as it stands, the Nets' two picks from the Bridges trade haven't given them a clear franchise-building block yet, and they'll have to wait until 2027 for their next opportunity to do so. With the Knicks poised to remain competitive for at least the next three to four years, these picks might have limited value other than the 2031 pick.

It's also worth noting that bottoming out didn't work well for the Nets, who landed the No. 8 pick last year and the No. 7 pick this season. Again, the Nets were never going to get more draft capital for Bridges, and committing to a rebuild made sense. You can't argue that this is a bad deal for the Nets, but the Knicks' picks not having much value slightly hinders this trade.

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