New York Knicks guard Cameron Payne is guarded by Brooklyn Nets guard Keon Johnson. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Knicks, Nets Share NYC But Have Different Goals

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Sep 11, 2025 3:00 PM ET

The New York Knicks are going into the upcoming season as one of the top hopefuls for the NBA Finals. Meanwhile, their closest neighbor has a very different approach.

The Brooklyn Nets were once top dog in the Big Apple, but times have fallen hard in the past few years. In 2019, the Nets were forming a Big Three with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. James Harden joined their squad in 2021 and Brooklyn became the center of the basketball universe.

However, two years later, the Nets came crashing down. Harden, Durant and Irving were all traded within months of each other, forcing Brooklyn to rebuild. The Nets risked it all to bring in Harden, surrendering several future first-round picks to acquire him.

Brooklyn replenished its draft pick stock by trading Durant to the Phoenix Suns. In return, they received Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson, both of whom were traded for even more picks.

Brooklyn Nets forward Trendon Watford takes a three-point shot past New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Bridges went to the Knicks for five future first-round picks, while Johnson was dealt to the Denver Nuggets earlier in the offseason for Michael Porter Jr. and another future draft pick.

After the dust settled, the Nets ended up with five first-round picks in 2025 and they used all of them to add to its current roster. Egor Demin, Nolan Traore, Drake Powell, Ben Saraf and Danny Wolf have all joined the Nets in hopes of helping them return to the glory days, but that won't be for a while.

In the meantime, the Knicks are benefitting from the Bridges trade, among other moves, in hopes to win an NBA championship for the first time since 1973.

The way the league is built prevents every team from being a true contender. Some teams have to build from the ground up while others can buy their way to the top. The Knicks and Nets have been in both positions before and while it is best to take advantage of getting to the top when they can, it's not always possible.

One day, the Nets' rebuilding will pay off and they might be closer to challenging the Knicks at the top of the Eastern Conference.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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