Looking ahead to 2024-25, the New York Knicks‘ championship window is still open, and acquiring Brooklyn Nets wing Mikal Bridges could push the team over the top, according to The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor.
“He’s capable of being one of the league’s best and most versatile defenders, while providing complementary offense as a shooter, cutter and decision-maker,” O’Connor wrote in a June 19 story on “10 players who could complete a contender.” “He could flourish in a role like the one he played for the Suns, while sprinkling in some of his newfound creation ability.”
After taking the Indiana Pacers to seven games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals with a roster gutted by injuries, expectations haven’t been this high in decades. Adding a multifaceted wing in Bridges (without losing any key players) would vault the Knicks to legitimate NBA Championship contenders in 2024-25.
O’Connor called the Knicks a “dream fit” for Bridges, who he said could do for New York next year what OG Anunoby did for them this year.
“Adding another guy like that (while also keeping Anunoby) would give the Knicks a far more complete roster to take the next step,” he wrote.
The Trade
Bridges’ contract is relatively friendly for the current NBA, with two years and $48.2 million remaining. At just 28 years old with a skillset that pairs elite defense with complementary playmaking, getting him now at that amount is a steal.
Ian Begley of SNY.tv wrote about potential deals, saying “Trading Randle’s $28.9 million (and draft compensation) for Bridges’ $23.3 million is the easiest way to make a trade work next season, no matter the Knicks’ apron situation.” Begley also added, “They could send out Bogdanovic, draft compensation and an additional $4.3 million to satisfy NBA trade rules. The Knicks could get there by including Jeffries’ $2.5 million and Sims’ $2.1 million.”
Here’s where the overpaying comes into play. The Nets would hang the phone up and block the Knicks number if they offered either of those deals without multiple first-round picks attached. The good news is that the Knicks are in a good position, controlling seven tradeable first-round picks between the 2025 and 2031 seasons.
Bridges Fit With the Knicks
For a team that already has strong chemistry through their Villanova roots, Bridges would instantly fit in on a personal level. Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo and Bridges were the top three scorers for the 2017-18 Wildcats that went 36-4 and won the NCAA National Championship. The previous season, Josh Hart played alongside Brunson, DiVincenzo and Bridges.
The biggest strength of Bridges on both sides of the ball is his versatility. For the Phoenix Suns, Bridges was often assigned the toughest defensive matchup and played an off-ball role on offense. He showed improvement in his role each year, culminating in making the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team in 2021-22, finishing second in the Defensive Player of the Year voting.
Offensively, Bridges went from a slasher/spot-up player to a featured role after his trade to the Nets. His scoring average jumped from 17.2 to 26.1 per game after a midseason trade to the Nets during the 2022-23 season. He would evolve a bit heading into the 2023-24 season, pulling back his scoring to 19.6 per game, but raising his assists to a career-high 3.6 per game.
There’s also the durability factor for Bridges. He’s a modern-day A.C. Green, having never missed a game in his career. Bridges has currently played in 474 consecutive games, which is amazing, but still far short of Green’s all-time record of 1,192 games.
Mortgage Now, Worry Later
Should the Knicks mortgage their future for a chance to win the NBA Championship? In a word, absolutely. They have a chance to add Bridges to a team that won 50 games and even if they have to use Julius Randle in a trade, the Knicks showed that they could win without him, going 21-15 in total and 14-6 over their last 20 regular season games.
The Knicks’ cap position would be hampered, but having a legitimate two-year window (assuming Brunson and OG Anunoby return) to win the Knicks’ first championship since Richard Nixon was in office would be well worth the cost.
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Contending Knicks Labeled ‘Dream Fit’ for 2-Way Nets Star