The New York Knicks executed a significant trade late Tuesday night, acquiring Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets. According to reports from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski and others, this trade package included five future first-round picks (New York’s unprotected picks for 2025, 2027, 2029, and 2031, plus Milwaukee’s 2025 pick, protected for the top four), an unprotected 2028 pick swap, and Bojan Bogdanović.
This hefty trade for Bridges, who excels in perimeter defense, shooting, and secondary creation, hinges on the Knicks’ ability to re-sign OG Anunoby. Anunoby, who became a free agent after being acquired by the Knicks last season, is crucial to the team’s strategy. Reports suggest that the Knicks are “determined” to retain Anunoby, seeing him as integral to their future plans.
As of right now, I’ve got the Knicks $45.2M under the first apron for eight players and the two 2024 first-round picks.
New York will have to get to at least 14 players under contract eventually.
That’s tight to fit in OG Anunoby at his market value and to fill out the roster.…
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 26, 2024
However, this focus on OG Anunoby could complicate matters for Isaiah Hartenstein. The big man has garnered significant interest on the market, and the Knicks, facing financial constraints, might find it difficult to retain him. The trade for Bridges brings the Knicks close to the hard salary cap limit of $178.7 million. This cap situation might force the Knicks to make tough decisions, potentially sacrificing Hartenstein to keep Anunoby.
There’s still uncertainty about the final roster moves. The Knicks could explore trading Mitchell Robinson, which might provide the financial flexibility needed to keep Hartenstein. Alternatively, adjusting the trade package for Bridges could help balance the incoming and outgoing salaries, giving the Knicks additional cap space by hard-capping them at the second apron ($189.5 million).
Losing Hartenstein would be a setback, as his presence alongside Robinson strengthens the Knicks’ defensive and rebounding capabilities. However, retaining Anunoby remains the top priority. Failure to re-sign him, especially after trading core players RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley for him, would be a significant blow, reducing the effectiveness of the Bridges trade.
Knicks’ President Leon Rose and his team are working hard to secure Anunoby’s return. Given Anunoby’s representation by Rose’s former agency, CAA, there is optimism about his re-signing. Nevertheless, until a deal is finalized, Knicks fans remain anxious about the potential implications for the team’s roster and future prospects.
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