As the New York Knicks‘ dreams came to a sudden halt last night, it seems like their trade rumors have picked up speed. With two key players out for the season early on and an ongoing list of injured players, NY was severely undermanned by the time they met the Pacers for Game 7. Now that the franchise can focus its energy and attention on preparing for the upcoming season, Bill Simmons has come up with a big prediction. The famous sportswriter believes the Knicks will be locking their eyes on Mikal Bridges.

“They have a lot of options,” he said, on The Bill Simmons Podcast. “I think they are gonna get Mikal Bridges as the big target; I think that’s who they want. I think they are going to try to overpay. I don’t think they want someone like a major star. That’s my big prediction.” It wouldn’t be too big of a stretch, either. The two of them have a history going back to 2018. And then a little further back.

NY had the option to draft Mikal Bridges as the ninth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. However, they passed him over for Kevin Knox, which did not eventually work out. On the other hand, Bridges had a brilliant stint at the Suns who instead drafted him as the 10th pick.

But that’s not all there is to the story. Bridges, a Villanova product, was also a college teammate of Josh Hart, Jalen Brunson, and Donte DiVincenzo. He was part of 2 NCAA championship squads and the 27-year-old knows the names on the Knicks roster. So, no worries about chemistry there!

This season, Brunson showcased that he is ready to carry the team to the playoffs. And spectacular performances from every healthy player in the Knicks prove why NY is aiming for a Championship run.

The Knicks are eyeing to end a 50-decade-long Championship drought

No one can contest that the Knicks had one of the best seasons in recent years. They finished as the 2nd-seed in the East with a 50-32 record. Not to mention, Brunson and Co. overthrew the dominant Philadelphia 76ers in the postseason. NY has all the makings of a title contender right about now. Therefore, James Dolan will be looking to keep the momentum going.

With a pretty neat haul of talented and elite free agents in the market, the MSG Sports Executive Chairman is not lacking options. But he will have to consider how they can fit into the mold that Tom Thibadeau has created. That’s where Mikal Bridges comes into the frame. Notably, Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey had once made the same suggestion on this scenario.

“His multipositional defense would make him an instant favorite of Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau. Bridges also isn’t likely to cost as much as (Donovan) Mitchell or Giannis (Antetokounmpo). Bojan Bogdanović and a big chunk of the Knicks’ trove of draft assets might get it done.”

Of course, Simmons believes the exact opposite in terms of the financial aspect. The four-year $90 million contract he signed while with the Suns has guaranteed years remaining with a salary-cap hit of $23.3 million for 2024-25.

Are the Knicks trade rumors of Mikal Bridges to be believed?

It is a waiting game. As mentioned, Dolan has a lot of options at his disposal – LeBron James, Donovan Mitchell, Paul George, etc. The asking price for them would be hefty. Then again, the allure of the Garden is a pretty good incentive.

What do you think of the latest Knicks trade rumors? Will NY add another Villanova alum to their roster? Let us know our thoughts!