One of the main storylines surrounding the New York Knicks’ concerning weekend losses to Boston and Cleveland was the startlingly poor play of Mikal Bridges. He’s looked timid and overmatched against the league’s elite wings and didn’t appear ready for the big stage. Bridges has had good stretches this season on both ends, but even he’d admit this year has been disappointing. With the pretty penny New York sent to Brooklyn to bring Bridges across town, the fans’ natural reaction is understandable: did the Knicks overpay for Mikal Bridges?
Did the Knicks Overpay In the Mikal Bridges Trade?
First, let’s lay out the full details of the trade. In the first deal between the crosstown rival Knicks and Nets since 1983, NY sent Bojan Bogdanovic, five first-round picks, a first-round pick swap, and a second-rounder for Mikal Bridges and a second-round pick. Essentially, New York acquired Bridges for five first-round picks and a first-round swap. Was it too much?
Bridges Has Been Solid in New York, But He Must Be Better
One of the most tantalizing parts of the former Net’s game is his durability. The NBA’s “Iron Man” hasn’t missed a game since high school, playing in all 531 possible games in his NBA career and all 116 of his time at Villanova. He’s lived up to the billing in that regard, suiting up for all 57 Knicks contests in 2024-25 and rarely appearing on the injury report.
Other than his reliability, however, Bridges has largely disappointed in his first season as a Knick. That’s not to say he’s been bad; Bridges has been a well-above-average player this year. He’s posted 17.5 points, 3.3 assists, and 3.2 rebounds on 48.9% from the field and 35.7% from three. His 57.4% true shooting is exactly league average. On its face, Bridges is having a very solid campaign. However, New York simply needs more from him, especially considering the price they paid.
Inconsistency on Both Ends
Bridges’ season has also been marred by inconsistency. He began the year shooting poorly from deep with his new, clunky-looking form but heated up through the middle of the season. Unfortunately, he’s in the midst of a jarring, rough stretch, which is why we’re having this conversation. Bridges hasn’t scored 20-plus points in the past seven games. He was underwhelming against Cleveland and Boston this weekend, putting up 14 meaningless points in both contests. He’s been incredibly unaggressive, averaging a career-low 1.1 free throw attempts a game despite a career-high in minutes. Whether he’s out of rhythm due to a reduced role or he’s feeling the pressure of high expectations in New York, the Villanova man has yet to reach his potential offensively.
Defensively, it’s been the same story. Flashes of excellence, incredible plays, and lockdown games have Knicks fans salivating. He just hasn’t provided the consistent intensity as an on-ball defender that he did in Phoenix, where he placed second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2022. Tom Thibodeau badly needs him to regain his form on both ends for NY to reach its ceiling.
NY Paid an Expensive Price, But Not as Bad as it Seems
The phrase “six first-round picks” startles fans and media alike, and for good reason. NBA history is littered with foolish all-in trades that hamstring a franchise’s future for a decade (Brooklyn, I’m looking at you). However, it’s worth considering what those first-rounders will actually become. The Nets are getting NY’s 2025, 2027, 2029, and 2031 first-round picks, a 2028 swap, and Milwaukee’s 2025 selection.
As of now, Brooklyn will receive the 21st and 25th picks in 2025 with the Knicks and Bucks having playoff seasons. It’s never a good thing to lose your draft choices, but the reality is that New York doesn’t have room at the top of this roster to develop young guys. Their top seven players are all 29 or younger, with Jalen Brunson (28), Bridges (28), Josh Hart (29), OG Anunoby (27), Karl-Anthony Towns (29), Miles ‘Deuce’ McBride (24), and Mitchell Robinson (26). It’s always nice to have players stashed away for the future or as trade assets, but these late-round picks would be unlikely to crack the rotation anytime soon.
The same goes for their 2027 selection when this same core will likely still be playing at a high level. It’s unclear what the 2028 swap and 2029/2031 first-rounders will become, but I’d guess NY will still be good. Lastly, the Knicks can always trade their core players to recoup draft assets if they need to rebuild. Yes, New York paid a high price to bring in Bridges. Yes, he needs to be better to justify it, and he probably will be. However, they didn’t do irreparable damage to the franchise, even if he doesn’t work out in the Big Apple.
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