Knicks Are Losing Mikal Bridges Trade

Mikal Bridges isn't playing well for the New York Knicks.

Nov 27, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) dives for the ball during the first quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks made a bold move when they traded for Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets this offseason for a heap of future first-round draft picks.

Bridges was seen as a savior for the Knicks and as someone who could finally get them over the hump. However, he hasn't played up to those standards this season.

Bleacher Report writer Zach Buckley believes that the Knicks made the wrong choice trading for Bridges.

"The Knicks raised more than a few eyebrows when they sent most of their trade-chip collection—five first-round picks and a first-round swap—to the Nets for Mikal Bridges this offseason," Buckley writes. "Near the end of a rough preseason, Bridges did his best to shrug off the struggles and suggest he was merely "(getting) the misses out now." Over a month later, those misses continue piling up at an alarming rate. Considering it was already debatable whether he was worth New York's heavy investment, this is less of an unpleasant surprise than it is a true red alert."

So far this season, Bridges is averaging 15.6 points per game and he's shooting just 30 percent from beyond the 3-point line after making 37.2 percent last season with the Nets.

Bridges has had to get acclimated to his new role, so he deserves at least a little bit of grace and patience. That being said, the sample size has grown to the point where it no longer looks like a mere fluke.

Simply put, Bridges is not as good as he was a year ago, and the price tag of all of those draft picks doesn't make him look any better.

Bridges has to perform better in order for the Knicks to compete and contend, otherwise both the team and player will be looked at as crazy for the foreseeable future.

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