How the Nets welcomed back Knicks' Mikal Bridges in his first Brooklyn game since trade
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This past offseason, the Brooklyn Nets decided to fully embrace the rebuilding process as they traded away Mikal Bridges, arguably their best player during the 2023-24 season, to the New York Knicks in exchange for a haul of future first-round picks. Bridges was quite the servant for the Nets franchise in his one-and-a-half seasons with the team, and he did his part in expanding his offensive repertoire to fill the role of the team’s number one option, even though in the end, his scoring efficiency did drop off a cliff.
Bridges, as one would recall, was one of the major pieces the Nets got in the trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns. So for the Nets to get quite the haul for Bridges as well is nothing short of a win, especially when they managed to get their outgoing first-rounders back from the Houston Rockets as well. Thus, there’s no surprise that there’s not much ill-will, if any at all, between Bridges and the Nets franchise, as Barclays Center welcomed the 28-year-old forward with open arms in his first return to Brooklyn since arriving with the Knicks.
The Nets welcome Mikal Bridges back to Barclays Center tonight by putting a "Welcome back" graphic on the jumbotron during the Knicks' pregame intros
(via @erikslater_) pic.twitter.com/6af6lS0kFq
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 22, 2025
Bridges was never thrust into first-option duties prior to his stint with the Nets, and yet he was able to expand his game and turn some heads during his stay in Brooklyn. To end the 2022-23 season, he averaged 26.1 points per game in 27 games in a Nets uniform on 48/38/89 shooting splits — very impressive stuff from someone who topped out as a third-option with the Suns.
But during the 2023-24 campaign, defenses began to load up more on Bridges and his overall production declined, averaging just 19.6 points on 44/37/81 splits. The Knicks, however, decided to go all-in on their current core, sending away six first-rounders for Bridges — believing that he’d be back to being at his best in a more complementary role.
Mikal Bridges is getting used to life with the Knicks
Mikal Bridges did not start off his Knicks career on the best of notes. For someone who was acquired for six first-round picks, Bridges did not light the Madison Square Garden immediately after arriving on the team. But Bridges, like the true glue guy that he is, has managed to carve out space for himself as a third/fourth option on the team, most notably exploding for 41 points in a Christmas Day victory over the San Antonio Spurs.
Bridges continues to be one of the best defenders in the association, especially when paired up with OG Anunoby, and the Knicks will need more of this consistent production from him moving forward.
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