The New York Knicks might have found a path toward something bigger, but it would come with a real cost. The Portland Trail Blazers reportedly have legitimate interest in Mikal Bridges, and if New York ever wants to seriously chase Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bridges could be the piece that makes it possible.
Jake Fischer mentioned in The Stein Line that there is a world in which the Trail Blazers could step into talks between the Knicks and Bucks if an Antetokounmpo deal begins to take shape. He also pointed out that Portland’s interest in Bridges goes back years, all the way to Damian Lillard’s first run with the team.
The Villanova core that has defined the Knicks’ identity
For the Knicks, along with Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, Bridges is part of the Villanova group that has shaped the locker room and the way this team plays for the last few years. They play connected and that is not easy to replace.
However, the Knicks have already shown they are willing to make tough calls. Donte DiVincenzo was part of that group before he was moved in the deal that brought Karl-Anthony Towns to New York. That move wasn't the most popular with fans at the time, but it made sense when the goal was to raise their ceiling.
There is also the reality of how Bridges has looked this season. He has been averaging just 15.6 points, his lowest number since the 2021-2022 season. It's also important to note that January has been rough for him and the team. Even in Saturday’s win over the Philadelphia 76ers, he finished with nine points on 3-for-16 shooting and went 1-for-9 on 3-pointers.
It is up to the point where it is fair to ask whether he is giving the Knicks what they hoped for when they paid such a steep price to get him. New York gave up five first-round picks, a swap, and rotation pieces in a rare deal with Brooklyn.
Trading Bridges now could feel drastic, especially after his contract extension from this past offseason. However, it might also reflect the team understanding risk and the timing of their championship window.
Antetokounmpo is the wild card here. His situation in Milwaukee has not seemed stable lately, and New York has been linked to him heavily. Adding Portland as a motivated third team with real assets could make a complicated deal much more realistic.
Should the Knicks hold onto Bridges and the identity they've built, or use him to chase a player who could change everything? Neither option is easy. But, at some point, the Knicks will have to pick one.