The Mikal Bridges hype has gone on all offseason. He'll make his long-awaited New York Knicks regular-season debut in a few weeks, and fans are eager to see how he'll elevate the starting lineup.
The Knicks-Bridges trade seemed like a long shot four months ago. It seemed likelier that he'd go to another team if Brooklyn traded him. No one knew what was going on behind the scenes. Leon Rose and Co. keep their cards close to their chest, or else fans would've known that the Knicks and Nets engaged in trade talks. The Woj bomb that announced the trade was a major shock.
Bridges didn't see it coming. He went from the Suns to the Nets to the Knicks in less than two years. He might still be in Phoenix if it wasn't for the Kevin Durant trade.
In an interview with RG.com, Bridges said he thought he was "probably" never going to leave Phoenix. He spent his first four and a half seasons with the Suns. He was part of the Phoenix squad that made it to the NBA Finals. Arizona was his home.
Mikal Bridges says he didn't think he was going to leave Suns
The Durant trade wasn't a shock for Bridges. He knew there was a possibility the Suns could trade him during the 2022 offseason when Durant requested a trade from the Nets. Bridges said the thought of being dealt was "always in the back of my head."
Phoenix traded Bridges to Brooklyn with his good friend Cam Johnson. The two navigated their first trade together. It was a bonus for Bridges that he was traded to the same city as a couple of his Villanova buddies, although it was to a different team. Bridges could never escape the Knicks rumors, even though he never said he wanted to play for New York. He can thank Josh Hart for that.
At long last, Bridges is a Knick. Durant signing with the Nets in 2019 free agency was a blessing in disguise for the Knicks (for more than one reason). New York fans can thank Durant for Bridges.
Bridges said he hopes that "things go great" with the Knicks so he won't be traded again. The last thing New York's front office is thinking about is a Bridges trade. He'll be eligible to sign an extension in October and could sign a team-friendly deal like Jalen Brunson. He isn't going anywhere.