The New York Knicks traded five first-round draft picks and three players to land Mikal Bridges from the Nets. It was a July blockbuster that brought the Nova Knicks together and improved the franchise’s odds of winning a championship. Bridges was a highly coveted wing, but things did not start out as planned.
The 28-year-old made changes to his jumper, but things looked off. He was shooting 30.6 percent from 3-point range after 19 games, and there have been unexpected defensive issues. The Knicks thought they were getting one of the league’s best 3-and-D wings, but Bridges was struggling on both ends.
Fans will look back at his 41-point Christmas Day performance as the breakout, but Bridges found his groove long before that. Nets fans know this story too well.
Mikal Bridges is consistent even after a slow start
The Nets acquired Bridges in the Kevin Durant trade in February 2023. He started quickly with Brooklyn because it was mid-season. The 6’6 wing helped them qualify for the playoff, despite trading KD and Kyrie.
Things changed to start his lone full season with the Nets. Bridges was shooting 26.9 percent from 3-point range after ten games and hovering at 34.5 percent with 36 contests played.
By the end of the season, Bridges averaged 19.6 points on 37.2 percent 3-point shooting. He is a career 37.5 percent marksman from long range and has hovered around that number for four straight years. He is consistent and available. Bridges has not missed a game since being drafted in 2018.
Over his last 11 games, Bridges averages 22.7 points, 3.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.2 steals in 40.0 minutes per contest. He shot 57.7 percent from the field and 46.9 percent from 3-point range. Those stellar numbers put him at 37.1 percent from deep for the season. Expect him to hover around that percentage for the remainder of the year.
The Knicks got off to a slow start as a team. They were integrating Karl-Anthony Towns and Bridges and unable to play the suffocating defense head coach Tom Thibodeau is known for. New York has gone 15-4 after a 5-6 start, including five straight wins to climb to third in the East. They will be a force this season and believe their top-end talent is enough to push them to a championship.
Fans know what to expect from Mikal Bridges, despite his slow start. He will produce around 20 points as he spaces the floor and plays stout defense. There were some early-season struggles, but you can always count on Bridges to find his level. That is why the Knicks had to pay so handsomely to acquire him.