The New York Knicks pulled off one of the biggest moves of the offseason in acquiring wing Mikal Bridges in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets. The trade reunites Bridges with his former Villanova teammates in Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart. And speaking of former teammates, Bridges recently appeared on an episode of Brunson and Hart's podcast, ‘The Roommates Show,' where he was asked about the lowest point of his NBA career so far. Mikal Bridges responded with his early days with the Phoenix Suns.
“I'll say my rookie year was tough, winning 19 games,” Bridges said.
Bridges' answer provoked a hilarious response from Hart who joked about the vibes of that Suns team.
“Y'all was just out there for fun,” Hart quipped. “They had no aspirations. They were just out there dancing, having a blast.”
Mikal Bridges was originally drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the No. 10 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft before being traded to the Suns in a draft day trade. Bridges ended up being the only player on the Suns roster that year to appear in all 82 games. He would play four and half more seasons for the Suns before being traded to the Nets.
Mikal Bridges ready to help Knicks turn into a contender
When the Knicks pulled off the trade for Bridges this summer, the prevailing thought amongst NBA fans and media alike was that the Knicks were serious about contending in the Eastern Conference. They finished last season with the second best record in the East before falling to the Indiana Pacers in seven games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
But with Bridges on the roster, not only did the Knicks add more offensive firepower, but they have one of the top wing defensive combinations alongside OG Anunoby. The organization also re-signed Anunoby in free agency giving the Knicks one of the deepest rosters in the NBA.
Last season, Bridges emerged as an intriguing rising player with the Nets. He played all 82 games in his first full season in Brooklyn, averaging 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.0 steals. He shot 43.6 percent from the field, 37.2 percent from the three-point line and 81.4 percent from the free-throw line.
The on-court chemistry is sure to be strong as well with Bridges getting to rejoin his college friends in Brunson, DiVincenzo and Hart. All four players were key members of the 2016 Wildcats national championship team under head coach Jay Wright.
