Six seconds into the final game of the season, Mikal Bridges committed a foul so that he could exit the game. In the box score, Bridges was now officially logged as playing -- and starting -- his 82nd game of the season. It preserved his astonishing streak of playing in 556-straight games to start his career, now the third-longest streak in league history, while allowing him to get the same rest as the other starters.
Bridges was replaced by journeyman guard Landry Shamet, who proceeded to drop 29 points to lead the New York Knicks to a 113-105 win over the moribund Brooklyn Nets. The win was New York's 51st of the season, one more than a cluster of four teams who all finished with 50 wins, and one fewer than the upstart Houston Rockets.
That means the Knicks are all alone with the 5th-best record in the league, placing their first-round draft pick at No. 26 in the upcoming 2025 NBA Draft. They are essentially in a similar slot to last year, when they went into the 2024 NBA Draft with picks No. 24 and 25; they traded down from the 24th pick to 26, then flipped 26 for five second-round picks. With pick No. 25, they drafted Pacome Dadiet, a 6'8" guard who scored four points in the win over Brooklyn.
The Knicks will not be using the 26th pick this year to either draft a prospect or trade around the board to pick up additional picks. The pick is already spoken for, as Leon Rose included it in the trade package sent to the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges.
The Knicks now know what pick they traded for Mikal Bridges
All things considered, the Knicks are generally right where they probably expected to be, sending the 26th pick to the Nets this season. While their hopes upon making the deal were absolutely winning a title, having the league's 5th-best record is probably right in line with the median outcomes. Their record suggests they should have a real chance at a title.
The reality is somewhat different, of course, especially after going 0-8 against the top two seeds in the Eastern Conference, the defending champion Boston Celtics and the 64-win Cleveland Cavaliers. That lack of an elite ceiling comes in part because Bridges has failed to deliver on the sky-high expectations he came to New York carrying.
Bridges has been a solid player for New York, and his general skillset as a really good wing defender and secondary scorer, shooter and creator is certainly helpful to the Knicks in a starter. He can play and defend multiple positions, and along with OG Anunoby unlock a lot of lineup flexibility for Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks -- not that they make use of any lineups other than the starting one.
Yet Bridges is not the lockdown defender anymore he once was in Phoenix; whether that's due to his offensive role, athletic slippage or something else, Bridges is merely good on that end. And on offense Bridges was merely fine; he averaged 17.6 points per game on 58.5 percent true shooting, hitting 35.4 percent of his 3-pointers.
The problem, of course, is that the Knicks are not only sending the 26th pick in this year's NBA Draft. They also sent Milwaukee's pick this year (it will land from 18-20) and three other future first-round picks. The Knicks pushed in their chips to make the Bridges trade; the 26th pick is only the beginning.
The Knicks hoped it would be better, that they would be this year's Cavaliers vaulting to the top of the standings and sending the 29th pick to Brooklyn. They are thankful it wasn't worse; the Phoenix Suns are sending a Top-10 pick to the Houston Rockets from the Kevin Durant trade.
Whether it will all have been worth it is still very much a question; but for now, the first significant piece of the Mikal Bridges trade has been locked into place.