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.

They 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 and one pick swap — in the deal with the Nets, according to multiple reports.

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.

The trade can’t officially be announced until the league’s moratorium is lifted Saturday afternoon.

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.

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

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

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.

Additional reporting by Stefan Bondy