It is no secret that Mikal Bridges had an underwhelming first season with the Knicks, from a shooting dip to poor defensive showings, it didn't go as either party had hoped. Now the Knicks have a new head coach, someone who seems poised to incorporate Bridges more on offense, something which Mo Dakhil of Bleacher Report thinks could lead to him having a bounce back this season.
The Knicks traded five first-rounders to land the two-way wing from the Nets last offseason. Giving up that kind of haul comes with big expectations, and unfortunately, they weren't always lived up to. Part of it had to do with not seeing eye-to-eye with Tom Thibodeau, part of it had to do with not always being involved in the offense, and some had to do with him being miscast on defense.
Whatever the reason, or combination of reasons, Brown will need to do a better job of making himself a more impactful part of the team this season, on both ends of the floor.
Bouncing back offensively
In Brooklyn, Bridges was the go-to guy, the number one option whenever he was on the floor. With the Knicks, it is an entirely different story. Bridges is at best the third, but more likely the fourth, best offensive player on the Knicks' roster, behind Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and OG Anunoby.
Part of being a third or fourth option in today's NBA means you need to be able to knock down shots. Last year, Bridges shot just 35.4 percent from three, his lowest percentage since his rookie season. The spacing should be better this season, which should also help, but Bridges needs to be able to knock down open looks.
Another aspect, which Dakhil notes should improve under Brown, is Bridges being able to take over the offense more when Brunson sits, something which we occasionally saw in the playoffs last season, although far too infrequently.
Bouncing back defensively
The easiest way to put Bridges in a better position to succeed on the defensive end is by inserting Miles McBride into the offensive lineup. Bridges is a better off-ball defender. He struggles fighting through picks and often gets beaten off the dribble by quicker guards.
If McBride takes over that role, at least most of the time, Bridges can use his length and good instincts to make impactful plays, as we saw him do against the Boston Celtics in the second round of the playoffs.