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Mar 22, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) dribbles up court during the first half against the Washington Wizards at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Knicks Wing Eyeing a Bounce Back Season

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Henry Brown | Last updated Sep 24, 2025 5:00 PM ET

Mikal Bridges' debut season with the New York Knicks seemed tainted from the start.

A lot of fans theoretically liked the idea of the accomplished 3&D wing-turned-lead scorer with the Brooklyn Nets reuniting with his old Villanova teammates, but four of their own first round picks along with a slew of complementary assets seemed like a steep price to pay for a tertiary option rapidly approaching his late-20s.

The front office didn't balk on what looked like a clean fit of a move, though, and his price tag followed him across an up-and-down season. The Knicks still made the Eastern Conference Finals with Bridges as an every-night starter, but he never seemed comfortable on offense while bringing little of the Defensive Player of the Year-caliber stopping he'd demonstrated at past stops.

No one seemed more aware of the potential left on the table than Bridges himself, who went into how he disappointed in his first official interview of the 2025-26 NBA preseason.

"A lot of people thought I might be upset because they were getting on me a little too hard," he said at media day. "But I think I was more mad at myself in the situation, because everything they want is what I want. It's not like a, 'why y'all getting on me?'"

"I love it here. I love the fans, the culture, the staff, the front office, the teammates. That's probably the biggest thing.

Last year was tough throughout the season. Playoffs helped a little bit. But I can appreciate the fans and everybody.

A lot of people thought I might be… pic.twitter.com/G4wCLSDW58
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) September 23, 2025

He more or less backed up a lot of complaints that he fired off last regular season, frustrated with how since-fired coach Tom Thibodeau managed last year's bench while leading the league in total minutes.

Jalen Brunson's priority within the offense took away a lot of the on-ball reps that Bridges had grown accustomed to with the Nets, and even though he still got his 17.6 scoring average across his standard 82-game sample size, he was thrust into more of a pure play-finishing role. The 3-ball percentage slipped along with his usage numbers, and so did that once-acclaimed defense.

His defense was less of a luxury and more of a necessity alongside high-minute starters like Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns who only ever seemed to hurt the Knicks on defense, but he failed to gel on that end, too. Had it not been for his fellow forward, OG Anunoby, pulling his weight, New York would have had one of the worst defensive starting lineups of any teams in the NBA.

New York Knicks Forward Mikal Bridges and Guard Jalen Brunson Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Bridges sounds keenly award of his needing to return to his 3&D intrigue in order to fully maximize this team's title window, and a fresh start at coach could do him a big favor. New head coach Mike Brown is all-in on keeping the ball moving, where Bridges, having never missed a game in the pros, will have plenty shots at more rhythm looks in easing the burden away from Brunson.

Bridges sounds keen on winning in New York, having re-signed for less than he could have commanded due to his desire to fit in with the Knicks. More sharing could help him return to form as a tertiary scorer, but his potential defensive and effort rediscoveries, more important than anything in solidifying a contender, remain up to him.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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