In the case of the New York Knicks, expectations are the highest they’ve been in a number of years heading into training camp. Jalen Brunson extended his contract at a discount to allow his team to augment their roster, and was named captain after his All-NBA season. OG Anunoby, the defensive wizard, extended his contract as well. Yet the biggest move was Leon Rose pulling off a huge deal for Mikal Bridges, acquiring him from the crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets. It was a shocking deal since the Knicks hadn’t made a deal with the Nets since the 1980s. Bridges fits the Knicks perfectly, especially beside Brunson.
Indeed, Brunson described Bridges’ addition as ‘the perfect piece of the puzzle.’ Brunaon mentioned how Bridges was already in the gym as soon as the trade went through. Aside from the immediate Villanova alumni connections with his teammates, his skillset is seemingly a perfect fit.
Mikal Bridges Fits the Knicks Perfectly- Here’s Why
It was an expensive trade, taking a haul of picks to land him. The Knicks gave up four unprotected first-round picks starting next year, another protected first in 2025, and a pick swap in 2028. Some in the media critiqued this as a steep price for a role player rather than an All-Star. However, looking at the broader picture, this was the best move the Knicks could have realistically made. Here’s why.
Best Option To Upgrade Roster
To upgrade from last year’s team, the Knicks needed to provide scoring help for Brunson as a priority. They needed another three-and-D option along with Donte DiVincenzo. Someone who ideally was able to create off the dribble, therefore, easing the burden on Brunson.
Looking at the trade market, Donovan Mitchell for instance, wasn’t an ideal fit beside Jalen Brunson. Despite being the ideal superstar for Broadway, scheme-wise, it wasn’t a great fit pairing two small ball-dominant guards in the same backcourt. Too many cooks can often spoil the broth. There aren’t too many examples around the league with multiple ball-dominant players on the same team proving to be effective.
Furthermore, guys like Luka Doncic and Devin Booker weren’t going to be pried away from their teams. Kevin Durant wasn’t the right age profile for a young Knicks team. In Bridges, he just feels like a better fit for their culture. Brunson has already proven he’s their franchise guy, it was all about building around him.
Scheme Fit
Bridges fits the Knicks perfectly. He is capable of scoring, stretching the court, and being a lockdown defender. Whichever role he’s asked to fill whether on or off-ball, he tends to excel. He’s close friends with Brunson, Josh Hart, and DiVincenzo – the Villanova boys. This chemistry has already done wonders for DiVincenzo and Hart since joining the Knicks. Indeed, DiVincenzo is coming off a career-year for the Knicks. In Hart’s case, he’s been the quintessential glue guy. He’s proven to be durable and provides relentless hustle on both ends of the court.
It’s therefore reasonable to imagine a similar case will be made for Bridges. While it shouldn’t be expected for him to average 26 points per game as he did in Brooklyn in 2023, this may be the most efficient in his career. His scheme versatility could be invaluable for the club. He shot 38.5% from three as a catch-and-shoot wing, joining DiVincenzo and Anunoby who anhot over 40% in catch-and-shoot threes, per NBA.com.
As a wing defender, he finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2021-22 for the Suns. Many would argue that he should have won the award over Marcus Smart that year. Nevertheless, his defensive rating for the Nets last season was 117.9, higher than his career average of 113.3.
Culture and Durability
Without question, this is another key, especially with the concerns surrounding Anunoby’s extensive injury history. The Knicks needed another wing option capable of filling his role if (and when) Anunoby goes down. Bridges takes pride in his durability and has an impressive ironman streak of never missing a game in his career. Arguably, the biggest reason the Knicks weren’t able to make the Eastern Conference Finals last season was because most of their roster got hurt. Thus, his durability should help here.
Tom Thibodeau is known to work his players extremely hard making his durability important. However unfairly, Thibodeau has a reputation for working his players to the ground. In reality, he’s a coach who demands excellence and preaches the importance of the team above all. He also has an impeccable record of developing players. Bridges should be the perfect fit for this culture. Not only is he friends with most of the roster, he’s supremely durable.
His age profile is also perfect for the rest of the roster. They can grow together and compete for multiple years. At 27, he joins Julius Randle, Brunson, Hart, Mitchell Robinson, Anunoby, and DiVincenzo all under the age of 30. Theoretically, this allows the Knicks to grow together and be competitive now and in the future.
Bridges Improves Knicks Floor and Elevates Their Ceiling
Another aspect of why Bridges fits the Knicks perfectly- there is still upside to his game. With the Suns, he was largely a classic three-and-D wing. He was tasked to defend the opponent’s best player every night. The skills he developed in Phoenix such as playing off-ball, hounding the opponent’s best player, and knocking down open shots led him to become one of the better role players in the NBA.
His game elevated when he went to Brooklyn in the Kevin Durant deal. He was Brooklyn’s first option, and his usage rate and scoring doubled because of that after joining the Nets. Although he had a down year last season, there were mitigating factors. For instance, the Nets were uncompetitive. Plus, it was an open secret thatBridges had his eye on going to the Knicks.
This deal allows Bridges to combine his skillsets this coming season. He has already shown development from a classic three-and-D wing, to one capable of being a ball-handler and a main scoring option. Now he’s able to help Brunson and Randle with the scoring load. It wouldn’t be surpriseing if Thibodeau can get even more out of him with his reputation for developing forwards. Plus, it significantly eases the burden on Brunson as a ball-handler, a priority this offseason for Leon Rose.
Bridges’ addition improves the Knicks floor and elevates their ceiling. He adds another elite wing defender beside Anunoby, DiVincenzo, and Hart. Furthermore, he’s durable on a roster full of hard-nosed guys. He’s another perimeter shooting option on a deep roster of perimeter shooters.
Overall, Mikal Bridges fits the Knicks perfectly. For these reasons, it doesn’t feel like a particularly expensive deal for the Knicks, but rather a great deal. It improves their chances of unseating the Boston Celtics for the NBA title.
