Basketball

The Knicks just overpaid for Mikal Bridges, but so what?

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6 months ago

June 26, 2024

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The Knicks just overpaid for Mikal Bridges, but so what?

This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.

Gooood morning, Winners! Welcome back to the Morning Win. Thanks so much for rocking with us today. We appreciate you giving us a bit of your time.

It’s barely been a week since the Celtics won a title and teams around the NBA are already reshuffling the decks. The Knicks are the deckmasters right now.

New York offered up a king’s ransom to the Nets for Mikal Bridges, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Now, he’s changing boroughs.

The Knicks are reportedly trading five first-round picks, including four unprotected first-rounders (2025, 2027, 2029, 2031), a protected 2025 first-round pick from the Bucks, a 2028 unprotected pick swap and a 2025 second-round pick for Bridges.

We just watched the NBA’s first case of live, successful tampering with Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson coaxing their former college teammate to New York. Bridges reportedly requested a trade to the Knicks and the Nets acquiesced. They’re all richer in draft picks today. Because of this deal, Brooklyn now has 16 first-round picks through 2031.

Not only is that an offer no one else could beat, but I’m not sure how many teams were willing to put up an offer like this one for Bridges.

We’re talking about a slew of first-round picks for a guy who has never made an All-Star or an All-NBA team. That’s kind of unprecedented. Even Dejounte Murray was an All-Star when the Hawks traded half of what the Knicks traded for him.

But it doesn’t matter. If the Knicks feel like they’re that close to title contention and believe Bridges can get them over the hump, then you make this trade 10 times out of 10.

What matters is New York got its guy. The team is loving it. And, if the team can keep OG Anunoby, the Knicks emerge as a legitimate threat to the Celtics’ mantle at the top of the Eastern Conference. That’s the priority.

Say what you want about the price, but the Nova Knicks are here. And, boy, does it feel like this is going to be fun.

Don’t take the Lynx lightly

The Minnesota Lynx always feel like a forgotten team when talking about contenders in the WNBA this season.

It’s always about what the Liberty are doing. Everyone is waiting for the Las Vegas Aces to step things up. The Connecticut Sun have a great record but continue to struggle against good teams.

But the Lynx are just chugging right along and look every bit as good — maybe even better! — than all the teams mentioned above.

Minnesota won the WNBA’s Commissioner’s Cup on Tuesday with a win over the Liberty.

READ MORE: Six joyous photos of the Minnesota Lynx in their Commissioner’s Cup win

This win technically doesn’t count for Minnesota’s overall record on the season since it’s the Commissioner’s Cup championship, but the Lynx have won seven straight games dating back to June 9. That includes wins over the Seattle Storm, the Aces, the Phoenix Mercury and, now, the Liberty.

This is still a long season — we’re not even halfway through. But I’m telling you now, Napheesa Collier and the Minnesota Lynx will be a force come playoff time. Just wait on it.

Messi, are you OK?

Argentina won its Copa América matchup against Chile on Tuesday for its second group-stage win. But in the long-term, it might have suffered an even bigger loss.

Lionel Messi seemed to have somehow injured his groin/adductor area during the match. He spoke about it after the game to reporters, saying “I didn’t feel a puncture or a tear, but I did find it difficult to move freely.”

Though he finished the match, hearing him talk like that after it is mildly concerning.

With the win, though, Argentina has an out to rest Messi if needed for their next game against Peru on Saturday. Here’s USA Today’s Safid Deen with more:

“Argentina’s win was great for them. They have six points after two matches in Group A, and clinched a trip to the quarterfinals. With Canada in second with three points, and Chile and Peru at the bottom of the group with one point apiece, Argentina can be conservative. They can use the Peru match to give players like Messi some rest for the stretch run, and others an opportunity to play.”

We’ll see how it goes. Hopefully, this is just a scare and nothing more.