The first significant move of the NBA offseason occurred late Tuesday night. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the New York Knicks acquired Mikal Bridges and a 2028 second-round pick from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Bojan Bogdanovic and five future first-round picks.
While some have opined that this was an overpay by New York, there’s no denying that lead executive Leon Rose and the rest of the Knicks brass made this move with two things in mind: the need for 3-and-D wings to compete with the NBA champion Boston Celtics, and the need for depth after injuries torpedoed what could have been a deep postseason run.
As for Brooklyn, it’s pretty clear this move pushed the franchise into rebuilding mode, and loading up on draft assets was critical. Brooklyn lost a lot in the acquisition of James Harden from the Rockets, and having two additional 2025 first-round picks to work with will be helpful, given the early reputation of that projected draft class. Let’s look at the trade and its potential fantasy impact on New York and Brooklyn.
Knicks acquire:
Mikal Bridges
2028 second-round pick
Adding Bridges was the big move, as he has been the NBA’s most durable player since entering the league in 2018 (he has not missed a game). After excelling as a complimentary player in Phoenix, being traded to Brooklyn as part of the Kevin Durant deal was expected to significantly increase Bridges’ offensive value. While he put up elite numbers in the immediate aftermath of the trade, that production likely boosted Bridges’ fantasy value too much. With a Yahoo ADP of 19.5, he finished the 2023-24 season as an 8th-round player concerning 8- and 9-cat per-game value. As for totals, Bridges was a top-50 player due to his availability.
Given the per-game production, Bridges was likely due to a “market correction” regarding his Yahoo ADP even if he remained in Brooklyn. The trade to New York will put him in a role that his game is more suited for, which should result in improved efficiency, even if Bridges’ scoring average (19.6 ppg in 2023-24) is closer to what he produced during his best seasons as a member of the Suns. The move may also increase his defensive production, as the steals and blocks averages decreased once the former Villanova standout was placed in a position to do more offensively.
How impactful this move is on the fantasy values of the other Knicks will depend on what happens in free agency. The expectation is that New York will do all it can to retain OG Anunoby, who could command at least mid-30s regarding annual salary as an unrestricted free agent. And with the Knicks giving up RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to acquire Anunoby in late December, one can assume that the urgency to pay what it takes to retain him will be there. Also, the Knicks hold his Bird rights, which means they can pay OG more than any other team.
Anunoby was a 5th-round player in 9-cat formats after being traded to New York, but a nagging elbow injury limited him to 23 regular season appearances. Like Bridges, he’s a good enough defender to make up for a slight decrease in scoring. Like what we saw with the Celtics this season, the stars must sacrifice some individual production to help the team reach its championship goal. Jalen Brunson averaged 30.8 points per game after the Anunoby trade, while Julius Randle contributed 24.9 per game before a dislocated shoulder ended his season. Supplementary players such as Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart are also in line to take a hit regarding fantasy value, but they will continue to figure prominently in the rotation.
Nets acquire:
Bojan Bogdanovic
Four unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027, 2029, 2031)
2025 first-round pick via Milwaukee (top-4 protected)
While Brooklyn did receive a player in this trade, the objective was to acquire draft capital in exchange for Bridges, whose representation reportedly made it clear that he wanted to end up with the Knicks. Bogdanovic is a capable scorer and certainly had his moments with the Knicks and the Pistons before that February trade. However, he turned 35 in April and will spend the offseason recovering from surgeries to his left foot and left wrist. At the time of the foot surgery in late April, it was reported that Bogdanovic would be re-evaluated in three months.
Nothing has been said regarding the final season of Bogdanovic’s contract, which will become fully guaranteed on June 28. Brooklyn’s timeline may not match the players in this case, which may result in the team being able to use Bogdanovic to acquire even more draft assets. Cam Thomas and Nic Claxton (if he re-signs) are players who stand to benefit the most from Bridges’ departure. And Noah Clowney, who had some solid performances late in his rookie season, is a player who could be worth rolling the dice on as a late-round pick, even though he and Bridges did not play the same position. The Nets may not be done dealing, either, as veterans such as Dorian Finney-Smith, Cameron Johnson, Dennis Schroder, and Ben Simmons have all been mentioned in recent trade rumors.
But Brooklyn’s key in this deal is the draft assets. The Nets will have multiple first-round picks in what’s projected to be a loaded 2025 draft, which will give the team the opportunity to build a new foundation. With the NBA’s new salary cap and apron rules, “star chasing” has become more difficult financially while also making the draft that much more important.
