For the first time in at least two decades, the New York Knicks are not only a good team but a legitimate championship contender.
Their trade for OG Anunoby midway through this past season elevated them from mediocrity to playoff contention, and they had a postseason run to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals that electrified the Tri-state area.
This offseason, the Knicks gave Anunoby a big contract extension, but the move their fans are most excited about is the trade for two-way stud Mikal Bridges.
The Knicks posted a hype video on their official Twitter account of Bridges coming to town and showing off his No. 1 jersey to get their fans stoked for the upcoming season.
one of 1️⃣@mikal_bridges pic.twitter.com/aOxFxvhOdk
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) July 10, 2024
Bridges started his career somewhat quietly with the Phoenix Suns during the 2018-19 season, but he started to emerge as a 3-and-D player while helping the Suns reach the NBA Finals during the 2020-21 season.
He was sent to the Brooklyn Nets in the Kevin Durant trade in February 2023, and he quickly blossomed into a legitimate scoring threat, averaging 26.1 points a game for the rest of the season.
During the 2023-24 campaign, he put up 19.6 points a game while hitting 37.2 percent of his 3-point attempts.
With New York, Bridges will likely see his point production drop a bit, but he will be able to help them get to the next level by dropping in 3-pointers and providing them with high-level defense at the wing spot.
While the 6-foot-6 forward isn’t an athletic freak, he is a fluid player who can finish in transition, which should make him a nice fit for a Knicks team that loves to defend and get out on the fast break.
