Mikal Bridges is the NBA’s version of Goldilocks. After experiencing life as a fourth option with the Phoenix Suns and a top option with the Nets, Bridges is destined for a role somewhere in the middle with the Knicks.
When he first debuted in the league with Phoenix, Bridges was in a modest 3-and-D role. He was often guarding the opposition’s best perimeter player while filling the wing in transition and knocking down open shots off passes from Chris Paul and Devin Booker. Bridges excelled in the supporting role as Phoenix made the NBA Finals in 2021 and had the best regular season record in the NBA the following year. But it always felt like Bridges could bring more to the table as a scorer.
After he was traded to Brooklyn in the midseason Kevin Durant blockbuster deal, Bridges ascended to a primary option role. He was on fire out of the gates, averaging 26.1 points after the midseason trade. This past season, Bridges took a step back, as he struggled with the challenge of being a No. 1 option in Brooklyn. He posted the lowest true shooting percentage of his career since his rookie season and his scoring numbers plummeted to 19.1 points.
The Knicks sent four unprotected first-round picks, a protected first-rounder, a first-round swap, a second-rounder, and a rotation piece in Bojan Bogdanovic to acquire Bridges. It’s a massive amount of assets to send in a trade, but Bridges might find the appropriate sized bowl of porridge for himself by moving to a different borough.
Taking a back seat
With the Knicks, Bridges will likely be a third option in the offense behind Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle. There won’t be as much responsibility for him to create offense as there was in Brooklyn. Part of the reason for Bridges’ struggles with the Nets was the types of shots that he took.
Bridges took more three-pointers than in any season last year, but many of these treys were off the dribble. A career-low percentage (33.8 percent) of his long range attempts came from the corners, according to Basketball Reference. Bridges is a career 40.8 percent shooter on corner threes.
That makes Bridges an offensive fit for the Knicks. Last season, New York ranked sixth in corner three-point attempt rate and shot a quality 41.4 percent from those spots on the court. Adding Bridges makes the Knicks more dangerous. Fellow Villanova product Donte DiVincenzo took more corner threes than ever in his career last year and knocked down 44.6 percent. DiVincenzo’s ascendance is a blueprint for Bridges who can excel with a steady diet of open shots off the catch.
Bridges is also a very good cutter along the baseline. It was a skill that he utilized heavily while with Phoenix and something he relied on less in Brooklyn but was still effective with. New York’s offense could use a bit of spontaneity. The Knicks have ranked in the bottom third of the league in assist rate since head coach Tom Thibodeau was hired in 2020. Sometimes, the offense can get bogged down as Brunson and Randle rely on attacking off the bounce.
The Knicks still lack shot creation outside of Brunson and Randle on the roster. When both players sit, Bridges can step into a bigger role with the bench unit and receive more of an opportunity to showcase his scoring ability, such as his ability to make contested pull-ups in the midrange.
Bridges struggled to score out of both isolations and pick and roll opportunities last season. He scored just 0.72 points per possession on isolation plays and just 0.85 points per possession on pick-and-roll plays, according to NBA Stats.
We already know what Bridges can bring to the table as a defender. A 2022 member of the NBA All-First Team Defense, Bridges can immensely impact that side of the floor. The combination of Bridges and OG Anunoby as defenders will be a pleasure to watch. Bridges is also always available, having played in 474 consecutive games. By blending in the off-ball ability he showcased in Phoenix with his lead scoring option role in Brooklyn, Bridges’ role is a good fit in New York’s offense.
SNY
