Mikal Bridges Getting More Comfortable Playing With Knicks Stars

The talented wing will be necessary in propelling the New York Knicks' championship aspirations.

Feb 24, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) brings the ball up court during the first quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

No member of the regularly-relied-upon New York Knicks' reputation has taken a bigger hit over the course of the 2025-26 regular season than Mikal Bridges, someone who was never as easy to understand as the fan base initially thought he was.

He was envisioned as the final defender and scorer needed to get the Knicks over the hump when he was traded to New York during the summer of 2024, requiring a massive haul of draft assets to facilitate the move. And when he flopped as the point-of-attack stopper and play-finishing shooter that he was envisioned to be as a first-year Knick, the pitchforks were brandished without hesitation.

Bridges hadn't helped his case by much over the majority of this ongoing season, either, despite getting recast into a role that better fit his skillset. Instead of bodying up against star scorers, something that the skinny forward was destined to struggle with, he spent more time as a pass-picker, yet consistency on either side of the ball continued to elude the fringe-All-Star.

Feb 11, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges (25) passes the ball past Philadelphia 76ers forward Marjon Beauchamp (16) during the first half at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

It wasn't until the Knicks' surprising 114-89 thwarting of the San Antonio Spurs that Bridges enjoyed his first double-digit bucket outing in over a month, scoring 25 on 10 of 17 shooting. That efficiency, combined with his five steals, flashed all of the most enticing elements of his game in a big win, buying himself a bit more patience after an especially rocky month of play.

Knicks teammate Josh Hart had some thoughts on Bridges' finally coming around, empathizing with a player struggling to slot into a new situation.

"I think it's a continuation of last year, obviously for him coming here, he was the No. 1 option for what, a year and a half or whatever (in Brooklyn), so he was, he was used to that,” he said. “Obviously coming in (to New York) you have [Jalen Brunson] and you have [Karl-Anthony Towns], so you got to kind of offensively take a step back."

Mar 7, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) and forward Mikal Bridges (25) reactagainst the LA Clippers in the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

"Sometimes that’s difficult, sometimes it's tough, you go from getting 15 to 20 play calls to three or four. Mentally, sometimes it takes adjusting to that, and I think that's something that he's worked with, but I think he's more comfortable with it. He's able to not worry about that or focus on that and just play his game."

Bridges' Improvements

Bridges has been more efficient as a sophomore Knick, finishing on 38.7% of his 3-pointers compared to 35.4% on a similar attempt rate a season ago. With that being said, he's been streakier than ever, and contributed mightily to the squad's early-2025 schneid alongside the equally-hot-and-cold OG Anunoby.

And while he, as well as the other regular Knicks, enjoyed opportunities to flash their respective on-ball upside while Brunson missed much of last regular season's third act, the lead guard hasn't yet missed a chunk of time, leaving the deferential wing unclear of when to meet the moment. Now that Bridges has survived the occasional trade rumors while helping the league's best recent defense, though, he may finally be backed by the confidence that fans have wanted to see out of him.

Bridges' willingness to show his aggression and take a possession into his own hands, especially during the non-Brunson minutes, will be a nonnegotiable when games take on even more meaning over the coming months. The lead option will require all of the floor-spacing he needs when defenses start closing in, and that won't be easy to accomplish without his old friend's ability to match production with his attendance dependability.

Make sure you bookmark Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!