Josh Hart celebrated the New York Knicks’ 94-90 Game 5 win over the San Antonio Spurs to complete a 4-1 series and end a 53-year NBA title drought, then turned his trophy podium moment into a jab at the criticism that surrounded the Knicks’ Mikal Bridges trade
New York knew the drought was on borrowed time. The Knicks ended it on a Sunday night with a 94-90 Game 5 win over the San Antonio Spurs, taking the series 4-1 in the process.
The trophy presentation came after years of reaching—one roster move at a time—until the moment finally arrived. Hart, standing at the podium, didn’t just enjoy the celebration. He addressed the noise that followed a key piece of the roster-building plan: the Mikal Bridges trade.
“Hey, man. Forget them picks. Forget them picks, dawg! We here!” Hart said during the trophy presentation for the Knicks.
The jab landed because the trade itself had been one of the most scrutinized swings New York made. Before the Knicks climbed to their third championship in franchise history, they traded for Bridges with a staggering draft price—giving up up to six first-round picks for him.
That package included four unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027, 2029, 2031), an unprotected pick swap in 2028, and the Milwaukee Bucks’ top-four protected first-round pick in 2025.
For a time, it wasn’t just criticism—it was mockery. Hart referenced that same backlash directly, and fans could point to how widely the trade was ridiculed not long ago.
Part of the reason the criticism lingered was the way Bridges looked in the first round of the playoffs against the Atlanta Hawks. The Bridges-for-the-need narrative didn’t click immediately.
But the storyline shifted after Game 3 of that series. From there, New York went on a run that changed the tone around the roster: the Knicks rattled off 12 straight wins before the Spurs took Game 3 of the NBA Finals away from them.
Bridges might not be the kind of player who leads a team in scoring or produces the highlight plays that last forever in social media clips. Still. Hart’s defense of the trade at the podium made one thing clear: in New York’s title run. Bridges mattered as “glue. ” the steady piece that helped tie the team together.
Even with the championship safely in hand, the question that followed the Bridges deal never fully disappeared—were all those draft assets worth it? Hart’s answer was delivered with a grin and a simple message: forget the picks.
The Knicks’ rise started long before any one trade. The path toward breaking their 53-year title drought began in 2022. when they signed Jalen Brunson from the Dallas Mavericks in free agency. In 2023, New York added OG Anunoby and Josh Hart. The following year. the roster’s aggression turned into the Mikal Bridges move—New York trading for Bridges with the heavy draft package.
So when Hart said “Forget them picks,” it wasn’t just bravado. It was a final punctuation mark on a decision that once drew laughter, then demanded patience, and ultimately ended with New York standing on the NBA mountaintop.
New York Knicks Josh Hart Mikal Bridges Spurs NBA Finals Jalen Brunson OG Anunoby Karl-Anthony Towns trophy presentation
Bridges trade was dumb until it wasn’t lol.
I don’t even watch Knicks like that but 6 first round picks?? That sounds like gambling. Hart saying “forget them picks” feels wild like… they weren’t gone? just saying.
Wait so did they actually win because Mikal got traded or because Spurs just choked in Game 5? People always blame the trade like it’s magic. Also 94-90 ain’t exactly fireworks.
The drought being over is nice but I still don’t understand why picks are always ‘hate’ like cmon those are future players. If Hart says “we here” that’s cool, but he’s basically saying the criticism was dumb, while the article kinda proves the picks were real. Idk man, sports fans just talk too much.