Knicks-Nets rivalry just getting started after trash talk aimed at Mikal Bridges

Last month, the blockbuster trade that sent Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets to the New York Knicks took the sports world by storm. It created more tension between the in-state rivals and may have begun a new era in New York basketball drama.

The Nets traded away Bridges to join his former Villanova University teammates over in Manhattan. From the trade, it broke up teammates Bridges and Dorian Finney-Smith.

When the trade happened, the two were in Dallas working out when the news broke. Bridges had been hanging out with Grizzlies Desmond Bane when the news broke. They met up in a Dallas gym when Bridges went from training with his Nets teammate to being reunited with three former Villanova teammates at the Garden.

“He came out there to get some work in with me,” Finney-Smith said, h/t Brian Lewis of the New York Post. “We still ended up working together, but we started talking trash to each other a little bit because now we’re going to be playing against each other. But that’s my guy, we built some lifelong connections. Good luck to him.”

Dorian Finney-Smith reveals he was training with Mikal Bridges before Knicks trade took place

While Finney-Smith wished Bridges the best, he did say he poked fun at his now-former teammate. Finney-Smith said he is looking forward to beating Bridges and his Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Josh Hart.

“Actually, we still kept training together that whole the next two days after the trade happened,” Finney-Smith said. “So we went from what we’re going to do next year, to we’re about to kick y’all [butt]. You know I’m going to talk [crap]. We got to break that Villanova [crap] up.”

After the trade, the Nets have embraced the rebuild, considering their last attempts to build a superteam have failed. The 31-year-old Finney-Smith, who will carry a $14.9 million cap hit next year, averaged 8.5 points and 4.7 rebounds in 68 appearances with the Nets last season.

Meanwhile, the Knicks are going all-in to make a serious run at the NBA Championship. On paper with Bridges' addition and retaining OG Anunoby, the Knicks are one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.

Finney-Smith made sure to wish Bridges luck and well but still made sure to also let him know that he wont be backing down on the court.