Brooklyn Nets receive: Forward Bojan Bogdanovic, four unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027, 2029, and 2031), unprotected pick swap (2028), top-4 protected 2025 first-round pick (via Milwaukee Bucks), and 2025 second-round pick.

New York Knicks receive: Mikal Bridges and 2026 second-round pick.

It’s interesting to point out that the Knicks had two first-round picks in the 2024 NBA Draft that concluded on Thursday and yet, the Nets did not acquire either of those picks. It seems that the reason for that was because of the perceived weakness of this draft class and time will tell whether the majority of evaluators were right in that assessment. Aside from that, Brooklyn essentially received five first-round picks, assuming that the Bucks are still a good team in the 2024-25 season, for a player in Bridges that never made an All-Star game. There is fair criticism of the picks most likely being outside of the lottery, but similar to the Phoenix Suns’ draft picks that the Nets had in their possession, positioning for the future of teams that are good in the present seems to be a good tactic.

Bogdanovic is still a good scorer/shooter in the NBA and at this point of his career, every team could use a player like him in the rotation just for how consistent he is on a nightly basis. However, for a team like the Nets, a team that is heading into a full rebuild, Bogdanovic serves little purpose for an organization that is currently prioritizing development over winning. Bogdanovic has one year left on his contract for $19 million and while he would be one of the best players on Brooklyn’s roster, he would most likely be more valuable to the Nets as a trade piece to a contender that is willing to give up draft capital.

Bridges may never make an All-Star game in his career, but that doesn’t mean that he’s not an extremely valuable player to have on any roster. Some have argued that the Knicks way too much for a player of Bridges’ caliber and while that could be true, if New York is able to win a title because of it, similar to the NFL’s Los Angeles Rams, it will be worth it to say ‘F’ those picks. For the Nets, they will be losing a player in Bridges with mixed reviews within the fanbase with some loving who he was for the team in the wake of the Kevin Durant trade and others loathing him because of his friendly nature with his former teammates on the Knicks. Either way, Bridges leaving means that the Nets will be entrusting Cam Thomas and Nic Claxton to lead the team into the future instead of hoping that Bridges, along with another star or two, could provide a better one.

The Nets achieved what many in the NBA space had been suggesting for them to do in trading Bridges for as much draft capital and young players that they could get. While Brooklyn did not get any young players, they will be getting those players once the draft picks convey. In the meantime, the Nets have decided to rebuild with the hope that they eventually find another star to bring the team back to relevance.