The Knicks' roster is excellent on paper. They have top-end superstars, a strong supporting cast of talent, and a revamped bench to support them. New head coach Mike Brown will be tasked with pushing the right buttons to maximize all of that talent. A big part of that will be improving the shot diet of Mikal Bridges.
Bridges is probably the Knicks' fourth-best offensive player, behind Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and OG Anunoby. His first season in New York came with plenty of ups and downs, and Bridges never seemed to fully click.
The Knicks just showed their faith in him by handing him a 4-year, $150 million contract extension, which could keep him in New York through the 2029-2030 season. Now Bridges needs to prove he deserves it. Part of it is Brown figuring out how to involve him more, and part of it is Bridges adjusting his shot selection to impact the game at a higher level consistently.
Bridges needs to take better shots
If you watched the Knicks last season, odds are you watched Bridges take a few of his patented fall-away midrange jumpers. The shot has become a signature for the two-way wing over the years, and for good reason. Bridges is one of the best high-volume midrange shooters in the league.
According to league tracking data, Bridges had the fifth-highest midrange efficiency for any player who took at least 150 attempts last season. To provide more context, it included every shot taken within the 3-point line but outside of the paint.
Bridges takes just under five of these shots per 100 possessions. While that is good and well, the Knicks need him to expand that diet.
More pull-up threes and shots at the rim
For the Knicks' offense to reach that next gear, Bridges is going to need to be on the ball more and take better shots. Some of those need to be more threes off the bounce. Last season, Bridges averaged only 0.4 pull-up threes per 100 possessions, only hitting 28 percent of them.
It was a slight downtick from last season, where he took 0.7 per 100 possessions. It was also a significant downturn in efficiency, as he hit 37 percent in 2023-24.
The Knicks also need Bridges to get to the rim more on his own. While he finished exceptionally well at the cup last season, the vast majority of his rim attempts came via cuts, with a high-percentage uncontested. New York needs him to attack the rim off the dribble and be unafraid to get to the line.