Bill Simmons' bold trade prediction for the Knicks officially goes down the gutter

Fans waited for years for the New York Knicks to land a superstar. Little did they know Jalen Brunson was the prize signing in 2022 free agency. The best part was that the front office still had the draft assets to trade for a star.

Two more years of waiting passed, but the outcome wasn't what some expected. The Knicks cashed in their assets for Mikal Bridges, who isn't a superstar. It turns out that New York didn't need to trade for a player like Donovan Mitchell or Joel Embiid to vault into the contender conversation.

This time last year, there was a lot of Embiid speculation. James Harden and the Sixers were wrapped up in what seemed like a never-ending saga. It seemed like Philadelphia was falling apart. It wasn't until after the start of the regular season that the Sixers traded Harden to the Clippers.

Embiid isn't going anywhere, at least not in the near future. Philadelphia signed Paul George this offseason. Mitchell signed an extension in Cleveland. Giannis Antetokounmpo is another star the Knicks were "linked to," but he signed a three-year extension last year.

Why do those three names matter? Well, because last September, The Ringer's Bill Simmons said that Embiid, Mitchell, or Antetokounmpo would be in New York in one year.

Bill Simmons' New York Knicks trade prediction doesn't come true

Many people didn't envision New York going in the direction it has. Leon Rose and Co. have assembled the strongest Knicks roster in years.

While rumors swarmed in the past year about Mitchell's future in Cleveland, New York fans weren't as invested as they were two years ago. Why? Because the Knicks were winning without him. Also, thanks to Atlanta, New York learned more about the risks of a Brunson-Mitchell backcourt.

Embiid has since become a villain because of his actions in the first round of the 2024 playoffs. He tried to intentionally injure Mitchell Robinson, which, for some reason, flew under the radar more than it should've. Embiid hasn't enjoyed postseason success in Philadelphia, either. A trade for him could've aged poorly.

As nice as it would've been to seriously pursue Antetokounmpo, that opportunity never came. He pressured Milwaukee's front office, and they responded by trading for Damian Lillard. The Bucks are still waiting for that move to pay off. So far, it hasn't, as Jrue Holiday is a key piece for the defending champion Celtics.

Maybe Simmons shouldn't guarantee anything anymore. However, to be fair, nobody saw the Bridges trade coming. It was quite the surprise. He's no Embiid, Mitchell, or Antetokounmpo, but that's not a bad thing. Bridges is the player New York was missing.