Johnson credited Bridges being a big help in a challenging 2022-23 season. Between Johnson’s meniscus surgery that November and them being traded to Brooklyn in the Kevin Durant deal three months later, Bridges helped keep him positive, especially adjusting to a new city.

The Knicks landed Mikal Bridges in a blockbuster deal last summer that sent shockwaves across the NBA. Whether or not he actually forced his way out of Brooklyn, as some reported, is anyone’s guess. The move was designed to further bolster New York’s championship odds.

CDATA[Since being traded from the Phoenix Suns to the Brooklyn Nets, Cameron Johnson and Mikal Bridges have taken on larger roles than they previously had. Bridges, in particular, has emerged as one of the Nets' top scorers,