All was quiet in the NBA world on Tuesday night as the draft loomed just under 24 hours away. Then with a few very loud Woj-bombs, everything changed and the league was flipped upside down with complete chaos ensuing.
In case you missed it, the Knicks made an all-in push for Nets star - and yes, former Villanova Wildcat - Mikal Bridges, sending back a preposterous five first-round picks (four unprotected) plus a first-round pick swap along with Bojan Bogdanovic.
BREAKING: The Brooklyn Nets have agreed in principle on a trade to send F Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks for Bojan Bogdanovic, four unprotected first-round picks, a protected first-round pick via Bucks, an unprotected pick swap and a second-rounder, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/TEGsIpoa3b
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 26, 2024
The Nets are clearly indicating they are finally embracing a full rebuild, while the Knicks are pushing in some chips to try and build on their recent successes and compete for a title. There’s a ton to break down from both sides in this deal, but it also had a ripple effect throughout the rest of the league.
What does it mean for the Nuggets?
On the surface, this deal may not seem to directly impact the Nuggets, as it’s two Eastern Conference teams involved, and none of the players or picks have any real connection to Denver. But if you look a bit deeper, it actually may force the Nuggets to pivot a bit.
One result of the trade for the Knicks is that their budget and spending power get pinched slightly, making it tougher to retain their free agents. Early reports suggest that the team will do everything they can to keep OG Anunoby in New York, but that Isaiah Hartenstein may become a cap casualty.
That would leave the Knicks with just Mitchell Robinson at center, a good player, but someone who is certainly injury prone. The Knicks will desperately need more big-man depth and they’ll be hard-pressed to get it on the free agency market.
The Nuggets need multiple backup plans for draft night
Sound familiar? That’s almost the exact situation facing the Nuggets this offseason. A lot of the talk has been about the Nuggets trying to solve their backup center issues with the 28th pick in Wednesday night’s draft. Well, that could be tougher now as the Knicks hold the 24th and 25th picks in the draft.
Given these recent developments, it stands to reason that the Knicks could use one, if not both of those picks on a big man. The Nuggets now must prepare for the possibility of one or two of their main targets to come off the board right before they are scheduled to pick. Could DaRon Holmes be a target for the Knicks now? I don’t see why not.
It’s not the end of the world, and I’m sure the Denver front office is all over this. But it’s a good reminder that everything is static in the NBA and things are changing by the second. Hopefully, the Nuggets are ready to pivot, if necessary and this doesn’t ruin their draft night plans.