Grade the Trade: Knicks pay high price for final Villanova piece in mock proposal

The New York Knicks' approach to the trade deadline changed after Julius Randle dislocated his right shoulder. Luckily, he's expected to be out for weeks, not months, but New York could still turn to the trade market for another scoring punch.

There's one player that most Knicks fans have dreamed of acquiring ever since he was traded ahead of the deadline last year. Mikal Bridges was sent to Brooklyn as part of the Suns-Nets Kevin Durant trade, and he was on a tear to end 2022-23. The Nets are a Play-In Tournament team at best but are still expected to be buyers at the deadline.

Even if Brooklyn decided to sell, there's no way that Sean Marks would trade Bridges to a crosstown rival. However, if the Knicks offered a package like the one ESPN's Bobby Marks proposed, the Nets would at least have to consider it.

Grade the Trade: Knicks make deal with Nets for Mikal Bridges in ESPN mock proposal

ESPN's NBA insiders created six trades they want to see happen before the deadline (subscription required), not trades they think will happen. Marks, who spent 20 years with Brooklyn, crafted a Knicks-Nets trade centered around Bridges.

Acquiring the 27-year-old would not only complete the Villanova quintet, but he'd be another scoring threat for New York. However, Mark's mock trade requires the Knicks to dig into their draft assets they've been stockpiling for a star.