Knicks to acquire Mikal Bridge...

The New York Knicks have added yet another former Villanova star, and this one makes them a threat to Boston in the East.

The Knicks have agreed to acquire Mikal Bridges — a borderline All-Star and perfect fit for them — from the Nets, sending Brooklyn a massive haul of five first-round picks in a blockbuster deal that vaults New York to the upper echelon of the East, a story broken by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. The trade breaks out like this:

• The Knicks receive Bridges and a 2026 second-round pick.

• The Nets receive Bojan Bogdanovic, four unprotected first-round picks (starting in 2025 then every other year after through 2031), the Bucks 2025 protected first-round pick (which had already been given traded to Brooklyn), a 2028 pick swap and a 2025 second-rounder to the Nets.

Jalen Brunson was pumped and soon on a four-way video call with fellow Knicks and Villanova grads Bridges, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo.

Bridges brings a gritty, two-way wing player to the Knicks that fits right in with Brunson and the fabric of the team. Bridges, 27, averaged 19.6 points last season while shooting 37.2% from 3 and grabbing 4.5 rebounds a night. He can serve as a secondary playmaker on offense with Brunson, he can space the floor or slash to the bucket, and he's another solid defender.

If the Knicks can re-sign their free agents this summer — Isaiah Hartenstein and OG Anunoby (who just officially opted out of his contract for next season) — then their starting five could be:

• Brunson

• Bridges

• Anunoby

• Hart

• Hartesnstein

Off the bench would come DiVincenzo, Mitchell Robinson (although the Knicks are testing the trade waters with him), Miles McBride, Alec Burks and Precious Achiuwa.

That roster makes the Knicks a threat to win the East next season. It's not a roster with much margin for error, although the only team in the East with any margin is the champion Celtics. This trade was clearly aimed at the Celtics in part: With Bridges and Anunoby New York has two top defensive wings to match up with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

The Nets entered the offseason telling other teams they didn't want to trade Bridges, that the plan was to build around him. However, that started to change in the past couple of weeks, there were signs the Nets might be open to a large enough deal. The Knicks came in big with an offer Brooklyn couldn't refuse, which is why the two teams sharing New York City made the first trade between them since 1983.

Back when they brought in in Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, the Nets depleted their stock of draft picks — they don't have a pick in the 2024 NBA Draft that starts tomorrow (Wednesday). This helps replenish the Nets' stockpile and gives them a clear rebuilding direction. The Nets needed picks for that rebuild — ideally picks in the deep 2025 NBA Draft — and they got one with their moves the night before the draft.