Mikal Bridges returns to Brooklyn on Tuesday for the first time since being traded. He played two seasons with the Nets.

This version of Mikal Bridges looks nothing like the one Brooklyn traded away, but his revamped role could be the key to New York ascending in the East.

Mikal Bridges didn’t get a tribute video in his return to Barclays Center on Tuesday, but he did get a “Welcome back” graphic.

For a fleeting moment considered the face of the Nets, Mikal Bridges is hoping for “good energy” as he returns to the Barclays Center on Tuesday for the first time since being traded across the Manhattan Bridge.

Former Nets star Mikal Bridges returns to Barclays Center on Tuesday for the first time as a Knick.

The Brooklyn Nets will be welcoming Mikal Bridges and the New York Knicks to Barclays Center for the first time since Bridges was traded.

This past offseason, the Brooklyn Nets decided to fully embrace the rebuilding process as they traded away Mikal Bridges, arguably their best player during the 2023-24 season, to the New York Knicks in exchange for a haul of future first-round picks.

Mikal Bridges was traded to the Knicks this past offseason, and he looked like a good fit for this team. However, his inconsistent scoring and okay defense have left fans questioning if trading for him was the right move.