It's too bad that the Nuggets management overpaid Michael Porter Jr. because now they can't sign KCP to a new contract yet again. Just for context, the top 3 most paid players in the Nuggets are obviously Jokic, Murray and MPJ. They overpaid Porter Jr, and can't sign KCP that's why he went to the Orlando Magic that has a huge cap space for a veteran like him to sign with. The Magic got lucky to have a good defender, and at the same time, a good three-point shooter as well
Winner: New York Knicks
In a vacuum, Mikal Bridges isn't worth five first-round picks and another swap. But in the context of this Knicks team, he is. With OG Anunoby re-signed, the Knicks are one of the few teams that can match the Celtics' blueprint of a whole squad of top-shelf perimeter defenders funneling scorers toward an elite rim protector, which will likely be Mitchell Robinson with Isaiah Hartenstein on his way to Oklahoma City. It's impossible to overstate how much Bridges elevates this already very good team.
I agree. The Knicks are only lacking defensive players because Brunson can already bring chaos on the offensive end. He may be small but he cannot be easily stopped. Hart did try to cover for defense but the effect was exhausting nights with 40+ minutes per game, that cannot happen which is why Bridges is a good addition for their team.
I knew it already. Losing Hartenstein isn't a big problem for them. What made them winners is getting Bridges, and re-signing Anunoby. If Randle will not play on his best self this regular season, I'm afraid they will be trading him to another team... or maybe he's on the trade talks already, but it isn't being publicize yet. Whatever the case it is, the Knicks are winners for now because they got Bridges, Anunoby and they still have a chance to get some since they have draft picks.
If there's something that the Knicks are lacking, it's their interior defense. You can't rely too much on Mitchell Robinson on that as well because he's injury-prone, and right now, he's the only center the Knicks got.