Mikal Bridges tells Nets after Knicks trade: “The love will always be there”

Mikal Bridges thanked the Brooklyn Nets organization in an Instagram post on Sunday after his move to the New York Knicks.

“You have shown me love from the beginning and honestly helped me improve my game even more,” Bridges wrote in the caption, adding that the “love for the team will always be there.”

The 27-year-old was acquired by the Knicks on June 25 in a trade with the Nets, with New York sending a package in return that included Bojan Bogdanović and four unprotected first-round picks.

Bridges came to Brooklyn in February 2023 as part of a four-team trade that also saw Kevin Durant join the Phoenix Suns. He blossomed immediately after the trade, averaging 26.1 points per game for the Nets by the end of the season and finishing fourth in the vote for the player with the greatest improvement.

In 109 games in Brooklyn, Bridges averaged 21.2 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.4 assists each night, shooting 44.7 percent from the field and 37.3 percent from the three-point line.

Given the large amount of draft capital the Nets received from the forward’s trade, they will likely switch to a younger roster highlighted by Nic Claxton and Cam Thomas. Brooklyn will also have a new head coach next season after hiring former Sacramento Kings assistant Jordi Fernandez in April.

The Knicks will look to build on their second-round playoff appearance and compete with the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers at the top of the Eastern Conference. Although New York lost center Isaiah Hartenstein as a free agent, the team was able to re-sign defensive-minded winger OG Anunoby to a five-year deal worth $212.5 million.

Bridges will also reunite with several of his former college teammates at Villanova, including Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo.