Mikal Bridges Is Finally Becoming the Player Knicks Traded Five First-Round Picks For

May 23, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) high fives before game three of the eastern conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

When the Knicks traded a whopping five first-round picks to the crosstown "rival" Nets for Mikal Bridges, there wasn't a consensus on how good the trade was or wasn't. Some thought it made sense; others disagreed. What was consistent among almost all those who had an opinion on the trade, though, was that the trade itself had plenty of pros and cons, and that the ultimate winner of the trade may not be determinable for the foreseeable future.

That being said, in an era where instant gratification is often sought after, and in a sports world where the only thing fans care about is what you've done for them lately, Bridges' time in New York got off to a rocky start. And that's putting it nicely.

Through no fault of his own, the former Net was measured against the ideas of what a player traded for that many picks should be doing. Bridges didn't help himself with some of his play. His outside shot, which had been his calling card, was inconsistent. His defensive effort, especially at the point of attack, left a lot to be desired. And when those things started to falter, so did his aggressiveness.

Bridges didn't ask to be traded for five picks. In a way, he was always set up to fail in that sense. Living up to the expectation to outperform a trade of that magnitude, and to do so in New York City, within what the fanbase and organization considered a championship window, is an uphill battle. Bridges did redeem himself in the postseason last year with some pivotal plays, especially in the Celtics series. But spent much of the regular season this year going through similar, albeit not as extreme, ups and downs as he did last year.

Through the first five games of the playoffs this year, it seemed like Bridges was going to be a good postseason defender whose offense relies mostly on making connective plays, hitting the occasional three, and converting in transition.

He struggled mightily against the Hawks, going from cold to almost nonexistent offensively. He averaged a measly 7.2 PPG, 1.4 RPG, and 1.4 APG, shooting just 26.7% from three, and looked nearly unplayable at times in Game 3, where he scored zero points on three shots, and Game 4, where he played just 19 minutes.

But then something changed. After the Knicks' historic blowout of the Hawks in Game 6, in which Bridges scored 24 points, he and the Knicks haven't looked back.

Mikal Bridges is finally delivering on expectations

In the second round against the 76ers, he locked up Tyrese Maxey, who went 7-of-16 and had an assist-to-turnover ratio of 7:9 across four games when defended by Bridges. That led to an average of 3.5 points, 1.8 assists, and 2.3 turnovers in 35 possessions per game in that matchup.

Going into the series, many, including Knicks fans, were worried about how Bridges, who had often been contact-averse going around screens and had struggled with quick guards, would contain Maxey. It ended up being the least of their worries. And Bridges did all that while averaging a cool 17.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, and 1.8 SPG, while shooting an absolutely ridiculous 63.8% from the field and 38.5% from three.

Yet there were still doubters heading into the Cavaliers series. Some called it a fluke, while others chalked it up as just a revenge series for a player who was drafted then traded by the 76ers on draft night. But instead of cooling down or reverting to his old ways, Bridges has actually only gotten better.

In the three games against the Cavaliers so far, Bridges is averaging 19.7 PPG and 4.7 RPG, while shooting 71.1% (not a typo) from two, 50% from three, and 100% from the free throw line. And he's still been impressive defensively. Props to head coach Mike Brown, who has had him covering James Harden instead of Donovan Mitchell, whom most believed he would be defending. Bridges has used his length to bother Harden, is doing it without fouling, and has gotten into the passing lanes when switched off.

On a team where names like Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and OG Anunoby receive most of the attention, Bridges has a case to be the most important and most consistent player over the last eight games. And, as someone who, like many, was critical of Bridges, I can't stress how important and uplifting that is.

Bridges spent the last two seasons being blamed for much of the Knicks' shortcomings, both fairly and unfairly. And even when he and the Knicks were playing well, the credit often went elsewhere. He's had his down moments, and that's impossible to deny. But his teammates have so often been steadfast in repeating that Bridges has been a great teammate, continued to work, and remained pivotal to everything the Knicks do.

New York is one win away from making their first finals appearance since 1999, and they do not get to this point, at least not this dominantly, without Bridges evolving into the very version of the player he is right now.

During the most important one-month stretch of the season, Bridges has undone a lot, if not all, of the struggles and become the player the Knicks traded for. He has become an elite defensive wing who can hit open threes, convert tough midrange shots, finish at an elite level in transition, and make all the little connective plays that lead to winning basketball, like sprinting the lane on fastbreaks, making the extra pass, and causing deflections.

And most importantly, he's looking more confident and aggressive than he ever has as a Knick, not only finding, but actively seeking ways to impact the game offensively. If this is the Bridges the Knicks get in the playoffs, as crazy as it may seem to some, the trade becomes 100% worth it. Most would argue that it already is.