The New York Knicks have championship expectations coming into the 2024-2025 season after an extremely daring summer season that noticed the crew chase a pair of co-stars for MVP candidate Jalen Brunson. The Knicks’ latest commerce for Karl-Anthony Cities has been dissected advert nauseam, nevertheless it was a deal they made earlier in the summertime that was much more dangerous.
The Knicks acquired Mikal Bridges from their crosstown rival Brooklyn Nets to open the offseason by buying and selling 4 of their very own unprotected first-round picks (2025, 2027, 2029, and 2031), the Bucks’ 2025 first-rounder, and an unprotected choose swap in 2028. That’s the kind of return you’d anticipate if the Bucks ever traded Giannis Antetokounmpo. To present all that up for a participant who has by no means been named an NBA All-Star like Bridges is simply completely wild.
Whereas it was quite a bit to surrender for one participant, Bridges has been actually, actually good. He suits completely into the ‘3-and-D’ wing mould as a sometimes low utilization swingman who can defend at a excessive degree (he was First-Group All-Protection in 2022) and make three-pointers on quantity. Over the past two seasons between stints with the Suns and Nets, Bridges made 37.6 p.c of his threes on 6.3 makes an attempt per sport. Add within the pinch of shot creation he confirmed in Brooklyn, and there’s a case to be made he’s one of many NBA’s greatest function gamers.
As Bridges hit coaching camp for the Knicks, one thing sudden occurred: movies stored popping up of his soar capturing type wanting actually, actually bizarre. Notably, Bridges had an enormous hitch in his soar shot that wasn’t there final season. The issue has solely gotten worse within the preseason.
In 4 preseason video games with the Knicks, Bridges has shot 2-of-19 from three-point vary. After three tough capturing video games in a row, he shot 0-for-10 towards the league-worst Washington Wizards in his preseason finale. The footage is ugly, and it has gone viral.
It will be unwise to attract huge conclusions off such a small pattern measurement. Stephen Curry additionally struggled capturing threes within the preseason this 12 months, going 7-for-25 (28 p.c) from downtown. Is his shot damaged, too? After all not.
On the identical time: Bridges’ shot seems bizarre, man. Bridges has spoken about making an attempt to remove the hitch in his jumper prior to now, nevertheless it’s by no means regarded like this. Right here’s his latest rationalization of what’s happening along with his capturing mechanics:
An unpleasant shot is simply tremendous if it’s persistently falling, however Bridges’ outcomes with this shot are so dangerous that it’s starting to get a bit scary for New York followers.
Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards even hounded Bridges about busting his jumper throughout a preseason sport:
It seems like Bridges is making an attempt to lift the discharge level of his jumper, and it’s giving him a cool two-motion capturing launch. It’s doable that this simply seems weirder than it truly is as a result of Bridges’ arms are so lengthy — he has a 7’1 wingspan at 6’7 — however thus far the outcomes are matching the attention check that this doesn’t look proper.
Right here’s what Bridges’ jumper used to appear to be on the finish of the 2022 season:
There did seem like a bit bit extra of a two-part launch in Bridges’ jumper final 12 months with the Nets, however not fairly as exaggerated as it’s now. He shot the ball very well final 12 months from deep (37.2 on 7.2 makes an attempt per sport from three), so possibly this can be a huge blowup about nothing.
Even when Bridges shoots the ball at his profession norms, the Knicks nonetheless gave up a ton to get him. If his shot actually is damaged, this commerce could possibly be one New York regrets for the very long time.
