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Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo were part of the Villanova team that won the 2016 NCAA championship. Hart left the school ahead of the trio to enter the NBA, leaving the rest to lead the Wildcats to another title in 2018. The four may be reunited in New York if the Knicks can bring Bridges in from Brooklyn.
Bridges, the Nets’ do-it-all forward, has been heavily involved in rumors heading into next month’s trade deadline. Brooklyn recently confirmed that the team rejected the Memphis Grizzlies’ offer of four first-round picks for “The Warden.” If New York wants to get him, they may have to give up more.
Basketball fans, many of them Knicks supporters, reacted to the idea of Mikal Bridges reuniting with his former Villanova teammates in the Big Apple:
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“Complete the Villanova Infinity Gauntlet Leon Rose.”
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New York has a ton of first-round picks to leverage. They have four alone in 2024 and two in 2025. Those draft assets were offered to the Utah Jazz for Donovan Mitchell but were rebuffed. If Mitchell (now with the Cavaliers) is available, that may be the direction the Knicks could go again.
All signs point to the Brooklyn Nets wanting to keep Mikal Bridges. They have reportedly made it clear that he’s not to be included in trade talks. Things, however, could change in an instant. If the Grizzlies’ offer of four first-round picks wasn’t enough, maybe New York could top it with a little more.
New York’s interest in Bridges may just be nothing but rumors as well. The Knicks just traded for former Toronto Raptors forward OG Anunoby, who is on an expiring contract. They would not have acquired him if they were not convinced he would sign a long-term deal once his contract expired.
Still, the thought of Leon Rose forming the 'Villanova Knicks' has fans interested and intrigued.
What could Knicks offer for Mikal Bridges?
The Brooklyn Nets may agree to trade Mikal Bridges if they can get four first-round picks and OG Anunoby. The former Raptor may be a tier below “Brooklyn Bridges” but the draft capital would likely be more than enticing.
Trading Anunoby, however, is a little complicated. He can’t be traded until after Feb. 28 and he is likely already looking forward to a new long-term deal with the Knicks. An extension would give him considerably less, so he is likely going to become an unrestricted free agent before getting a more lucrative deal.
New York could also offer Josh Hart instead of Anunoby but the Nets already have Dorian Finney-Smith, a player in Hart’s mold. Anunoby would be the right fit together with the picks if they can find a solution to his contract situation.
Leon Rose could also just go all out and keep OG Anunoby and offer five future first-round picks if he wants to form the 'Villanova Knicks'.
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