The Portland Trail Blazers' acquisition of Deni Avdija in the summer of 2024 has quickly become one of the best front office moves in team history. Now, the Blazers could be poised to virtually stumble into another star wing — Mikal Bridges of the New York Knicks. It would just require the Knicks to finally make the blockbuster of all blockbusters, acquiring Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks.
According to NBA Insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, the Blazers have long been interested in the two-way, 29 year-old wing, and a Giannis-to-NY trade might be just what the Blazers need to acquire him. From Fischer:
I'm told Blazers officials have always viewed Antetokounmpo's potential Milwaukee exit as a chance to improve their own roster by jumping into a multi-team deal... So there is absolutely a down-the-road world where the Blazers could try to butt into, say, Milwaukee/New York talks if Giannis-to-the-Knicks ever got serious. File this away as well: League sources say Portland has long admired New York's Mikal Bridges going back to Lillard's first stint as a Blazer."
Yes, please! Mikal Bridges may never have turned into the megastar he appeared on a track to becoming after his breakout in Brooklyn, but he's a legitimate two-way wing whose 4-year, $150 million contract extension (which starts next year) is a completely fair deal. His fit in the Blazers' lineup isn't necessarily seamless (my guess is he would push Toumani into a sixth man role, which is not a demotion in my eyes) but whenever the opportunity arises to add a player like Bridges, it must be seized.
It's also not small potatoes that Mikal Bridges has literally never missed a game in his career. The guy plays every night; imagine being able to count on a member of the Portland Trail Blazers to be on the floor for 82 games every year. What a world.
Blazers are waiting to jump into Giannis trade as a third team
I love it. Being the third team in a blockbuster deal is almost a cheat code to acquiring good players. The most recent prominent example of this is the Cavaliers adding Jarrett Allen in the James Harden deal; they gave up two second-rounders to get him, and were able to do that simply because Allen needed a place to land for the financials of the deal to work out.
In this case, the Blazers may have to part with a little more; think a protected first-rounder and a young player. But that's purely a gut feeling, and if the Knicks are getting Giannis in the deal, my guess is they'll do just about anything to get the deal done, even if it requires parting with a very good wing for a lesser package than he'd get if he were the centerpiece of the deal.
Also, adding Bridges makes the most sense if the Blazers do end up trading Jerami Grant at the deadline (or in the summer), which feels like a more realistic outcome by the day. There's clear interest around the league for Grant, so Joe Cronin will have to weigh his options before the February 5th deadline.
For now, Blazers fans can dream about a world in which Damian Lillard makes his return to Moda Center with Deni Avdija and Mikal Bridges flanking him on the wings. Things are looking up, PDX!