Knicks, Nets tweak blockbuster Mikal Bridges trade with more players added

The Knicks have figured out a way to even out the money in order to complete the Mikal Bridges trade.

The Knicks will include guard Shake Milton in a sign-and-trade and roster-filler Mamadi Diakite along with Bojan Bogdanovic — in addition to five future first-round picks , one unprotected pick swap and one second-rounder — in the deal with the Nets, a source confirmed.

The blockbuster trade was agreed upon from the beginning with the idea that the Knicks wouldn’t be hard capped, and there would be two additional players heading to Brooklyn when the trade is announced after the July 6 moratorium is lifted.

The Knicks needed to add salary to the trade in order to avoid being capped at the $178.1 million first apron for luxury-tax purposes.

A source said it was always baked into the deal that the Knicks “would never be hard-capped at the first apron” and “can’t or won’t go above the second” — regardless of what happened with Isaiah Hartenstein’s free agency or other moves.

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The Knicks only could have paid Hartenstein $72.5 million over four years, and he bolted for a three-year, $87 million deal from the Thunder.

The Knicks also will take back forward Keita Bates-Diop from Brooklyn after Milton signs a three-year, $9 million contract, which reportedly includes two non-guaranteed years.

But Bates-Diop doesn’t count for salary-matching purposes for the Knicks because he’s on a minimum salary.

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Bridges has appeared in 474 consecutive games to start his NBA career, and averaged 19.6 points last season with the Nets. He will join former Villanova teammates Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo with the Knicks, who finished second in the Eastern Conference last season at 50-32 before losing in the second round of the playoffs to the Pacers amid a rash of injuries.

The rebuilding Nets are acquiring four unprotected first-round picks from the Knicks (2025, 2027, 2029, 2031), a protected first-rounder in 2025 via the Bucks, a 2028 unprotected pick swap and a 2025 second-round selection.

The Knicks also reportedly have agreed with first-round pick Pacome Dadiet (25th overall) to a contract below the rookie scale, which would have been around $2.7 million for his draft slot.

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The lower signing, which the Athletic reported as 80 percent of that figure, would save the Knicks — who also paid a buyout to Dadiet’s club team in Germany — roughly $900,000 for hard-cap purposes.

The 18-year-old French forward said on draft night that he’s “planning on playing here [in the NBA]” this season, rather than being stashed in Europe.

Second-round pick Tyler Kolek out of Marquette also reportedly has agreed to a four-year, $9.06 million deal, with the first three years guaranteed and a team option for the fourth, via the Athletic.

Second-rounders are not subjected to draft-slot rules.

— Additional reporting by Stefan Bondy

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