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New York Knicks’ most exciting star is set to prove why he was worth every penny of his $150 million contract

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aaditya Krishnamurthy | Last updated Sep 24, 2025 4:30 PM ET

The New York Knicks are looking to compete for an NBA championship next season, and one of their most important stars will step up in a big way.

The New York Knicks are making a push to compete for an NBA championship, one that is even more aggressive than the one they made last season.

While the Knicks swung for the fences last offseason with their trades for Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, this offseason has been quite different.

The Knicks focused on making smart, depth-centric signings, with players like Guerschon Yabusele, Jordan Clarkson, and Malcolm Brogdon.

In fact, their biggest money-spending move was to re-sign Mikal Bridges for $150 million. This exorbitant sum is going to motivate Bridges to play the best basketball of his career.

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Mikal Bridges is ready to make third-option leap for New York Knicks

Prior to joining the New York Knicks, Mikal Bridges was floundering as the first option with the Brooklyn Nets.

In his final season with the Nets, Bridges averaged 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists, while the Nets failed to reach the playoffs.

Once Bridges joined the Knicks, his numbers obviously went down, as he had to share the ball, but not to the extent that one would have imagined.

Last season, Bridges averaged 17.6 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.2 rebounds, all while being the third option behind Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Now that he has signed a massive contract with the Knicks, Bridges will be looking to take his numbers up and help deliver at an even higher level.

Mikal Bridges is ready for fresh start under Mike Brown

Under Tom Thibodeau, while Mikal Bridges’ numbers were strong, there was something missing from his performances.

In particular, Bridges struggled with being consistent. In fact, Bridges and Thibodeau didn’t see eye to eye during the final days of the latter’s tenure as head coach.

Now, with Mike Brown at the helm, Bridges gets a fresh start and can earn the trust and respect of his head coach, which will help motivate him to perform at the highest level.

And that will be a huge boost to the Knicks, as they look to make their way out of the Eastern Conference and compete for an NBA championship.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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