The New York Knicks paid more than anyone expected them to in order to acquire Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets. It's an unavoidable truth, as New York agreed to terms that included four unprotected first-round draft picks, a 2028 pick swap, and a 2030 top-four protected selection.
With the postseason less than a month away, however, Bridges is turning the overpayment narrative on its head with some of his best showings of the season.
There's no way around the fact that six first-round draft picks make for a steep price, let alone for a player who has never been an All-Star. The Karl-Anthony Towns deal put the move into a new perspective, however, as the Knicks simply paid what was necessary to build a true contender.
Towns is in the midst of one of the best seasons of his 10-year NBA career, but he's not the only offseason acquisition silencing critics.
Bridges has been a crucial contributor to the Knicks' 43-25 record through 68 games. He's third on the team in scoring at 17.6 points per contest, has excelled on the defensive end of the floor, and is quietly shooting 37.5 percent from beyond the arc since Dec. 1.
Bridges' true value has been revealed during a recent stretch of games, however, as he's stepped up in an unexpected way with Jalen Brunson sidelined by injury.
Mikal Bridges proving he can step up in any way Knicks need him
Bridges has given the Knicks a little bit of everything during the 2024-25 regular season. As a scorer, he's posted a 41-point game, three outings with at least 30 points, and 24 during which he's tallied a minimum of 20.
Bridges is also shooting 37.7 percent on catch-and-shoot threes, and is forcing opponents to shoot at least 1.3 percent worse on both two-point and three-point field goal attempts.
Since Brunson went down on Mar. 6, Bridges has elevated his game in an unexpected way: As a facilitator. He boasts a career average of 2.7 assists per contest, but has seamlessly transitioned into the role of a primary playmaker.
In six games without Brunson, Bridges is averaging 21.8 points and 5.0 assists on .595/.429/.957 shooting—helping the Knicks stay afloat without their franchise player.
Bridges has posted games with 33, 28, and 22 points, helping to anchor the team's scoring efforts without their go-to scorer. He's also produced performances with eight, seven, and five assists, thus filling the void left behind by the team's leader in assists per game.
No matter what the situation has called for, Bridges has stepped up to give the Knicks exactly what they're missing.
That type of player is nothing short of invaluable, even if the cost of six first-round draft picks is difficult to overlook. The reality of acquiring Bridges, however, is that the Knicks have built a stronger team by adding a player who can step up in every phase of the game, no matter what his number is called for.
Many left the offseason narrative at the Knicks overpaying for Bridges, but he's proving in 2024-25 that he was worth the investment.