CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Knicks cost to the Hornets for serving to them get Karl-Anthony Cities is 2 second-round picks.
So as to finish the blockbuster deal involving Cities, the Knicks and Timberwolves needed to recruit a 3rd staff — the Hornets — to soak up gamers into cap area and permit the salaries to match.
Because of this, the Hornets agreed to take three Knicks gamers — Charlie Brown Jr., DaQuan Jeffries and Duane Washington Jr. — together with two second-round picks from New York and one from Minnesota, in keeping with The Athletic.
As a part of the deal, the Knicks reportedly acquired the rights to James Nnaji from the Hornets.
Nnaji, a middle from Nigeria, was the thirty first total choose within the 2023 draft. He has been taking part in abroad, lately underwent again surgical procedure and is unlikely to play within the NBA this season.
The Knicks are additionally sending Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a lottery-protected first-round choose to the Timberwolves for Cities.
As a result of the deal wasn’t finalized by Tuesday afternoon, Cities couldn’t take part within the first day of Knicks coaching camp in Charleston.
Mikal Bridges formally began his Knicks profession Tuesday with an understanding that his earlier stint in Brooklyn, whereas a irritating disappointment, was additionally a helpful studying expertise.
“Yeah, it was powerful in Brooklyn, we have been shedding. Even personally, I feel I didn’t deal with it in addition to I might,” Bridges mentioned after ending his first follow with the Knicks in coaching camp. “I at all times preach psychological toughness and by no means shedding your spirit. Nevertheless it was simply one thing I by no means handled like that. And, I feel it was only a lot only for that staff typically after I was there and the expectation for everyone and I feel I didn’t deal with it pretty much as good as I ought to have.
“However coming right here, it’s good. All people’s locked in and everyone’s motivated and coach [Tom Thibodeau] received everyone locked in. So it’s nice to be right here.”
With the Nets, Bridges took on the burden of the No. 1 offensive choice and struggled with effectivity as the main focus of the opposition’s protection.
It’ll be a unique position in MSG alongside Jalen Brunson and Cities.
“Once you received two All-NBA guys like that, that’s what it’s,” Bridges mentioned. “It’s positively going to open up spacing.”
Bridges is anticipated to start out within the backcourt with Jalen Brunson, his former teammate at Villanova.
“I understand how he performs, he is aware of how I play,” Brunson mentioned, “the chemistry continues to be there.”
Mitchell Robinson, who’s formally out indefinitely whereas recovering from ankle surgical procedure, didn’t journey with the Knicks to Charleston for coaching camp.
The middle remained in New York to rehab on the staff’s facility.
Though Thibodeau declined to supply a timeline for Robinson’s restoration, a league supply focused December or January as a tough estimate, relying on the progress of rehab.
Thibodeau defined why the Knicks returned to Charleston for a second straight 12 months for camp.
“We did it yearly after I was a Knicks assistant within the ’90s, and we at all times loved coming down right here,” the coach defined. “Stunning place and an opportunity to get away. The gamers get pleasure from having the ability to get away. They’ll stroll and go to good eating places at night time and spend time with one another. The teambuilding side of it’s terrific.”
Requested concerning the backup point-guard rotation, Thibodeau touted the “versatility” of his choices.
He talked about a number of gamers however curiously left out rookie Tyler Kolek.
“We now have quite a few guys that may play each on the ball and off the ball, and I feel generally that’s the toughest factor to protect,” Thibodeau mentioned. “You wish to create the tempo, and you then wish to create the motion. Typically as we did the second half of final 12 months, we had Jalen off the ball and Josh [Hart] initiating a number of offense for us final 12 months. Mikal’s snug with it, Cam [Payne], Deuce [McBride] is sweet with each. So I like that versatility loads.”
