On Thursday, the Knicks completed the trade for Mikal Bridges, gaining sufficient cap flexibility to acquire a replacement for center Isaiah Hartenstein, who joined the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency.
New York is sending Bojan Bogdanovic, Shake Milton, Mamadi Diakite, four unprotected first-round picks, one protected first-round pick, and a pick swap to the Nets in return for Bridges and Keita Bates-Diop.
Cap expert Yossi Gozlan reports that the Knicks are now $16.9 million under the $188.9 million second apron with 11 players on the roster. This gives them the flexibility to re-sign Precious Achiuwa and utilize the $5.2 million taxpayer mid-level exception to acquire another big man.
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According to SNY’s Ian Begley, the Knicks are keeping an eye on the trade market for a backup center to Mitchell Robinson, with a particular interest in Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz.
Kessler, a former North Carolina and Auburn 7-footer, averaged 8.1 points and 7.5 rebounds last season. He has two years left on his rookie-scale contract, which will pay him $3 million in 2024-25, according to The Athletic.
Josh Hart Makes a Strong Statement About Last Season’s Playoffs
After years of mediocrity, the New York Knicks appear to have finally become a legitimate contender in the Eastern Conference. Jalen Brunson has emerged as a superstar, and the team has the right pieces around him to compete with the NBA’s best.
Despite entering the 2024 NBA Playoffs with confidence, the Knicks faced challenges after losing Julius Randle for the season and seeing OG Anunoby limited by injury, which hampered their chances of advancing to the NBA Finals.
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However, the Knicks displayed resilience by defeating the Philadelphia 76ers in six games in the first round and pushing the Indiana Pacers to the limit in the second round, even after Brunson suffered a broken hand.
Josh Hart, who played a crucial role in the Knicks’ success, believes they could have challenged the eventual NBA champion Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals if they had been healthy, with Randle available, according to NBA Central.
While hypotheticals shouldn’t be dwelled upon, it’s clear the Knicks would have been stronger with a fully healthy roster. However, injuries are a common issue for all teams late in the season and often make the difference.
With the recent acquisition of Mikal Bridges and a potential trade for Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz, it will be intriguing to see how the Knicks perform next season and if they can compete with the Celtics and a revamped Philadelphia 76ers team.
