The New York Knicks entered this season with incredibly high hopes. After a remarkable 2023-24 campaign, the club supposedly took a leap after acquiring Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns.
On paper, they saw massive improvements. Despite their 42-23 record and No. 3 seeding in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks don't have many believers as it pertains to winning an NBA title.
Their 50-plus year title drought doesn't seem like it's going to come to an end this season.
Built around Jalen Brunson, the Knicks added a co-star in Towns, with Mikal Bridges joining OG Anunoby and Josh Hart as key wing players as a supporting cast.
While New York's record looks solid, their production against the NBA's best squads leaves plenty of room for doubt.
One player in particular has "not been that guy" this season after entering the season with plenty of potential. Bridges was traded from the Brooklyn Nets for a massive package of draft picks.
Averaging 17.5 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.5 assists, Bridges has played into his third star role more, but his recent comments have left pundits yearning for more.
Bridges labeled "disappointment" in lieu of recent conversations
After Bridges lobbied for more minutes from the bench, and less from the Knicks' starters, the wing was brought into the spotlight.
When talking about the Knicks star, ESPN's Peter Rosenberg detailed his "problem" after Bridges' recent comments during an appearance on "First Take."
"My problem is the messenger," Rosenberg stated. "If it was someone else, I would say this is a huge issue. ...Let's be real, before Mikal Bridges travelled 15 feet and knocked down that game-winner the other night, the conversation about Mikal Bridges was what a disappointment he's been on this team.
"...This was supposed to be the missing ingredient that took them to another level. He has not been that guy."
"[Mikal Bridges] has not been that guy." @rosenbergradio DISAGREES with @stephenasmith on Tom Thibodeau being "in trouble" after Bridges' comments about playing too many minutes with the Knicks pic.twitter.com/tsIzHKKPEw
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 14, 2025
Are the alarms being sound in the Big Apple? Not necessarily. The minutes situation with Tom Thibodeau isn't new. It likely won't change.
Now, Bridges' counting stats are solid for a third star, though his on-court impact needs to match such. How the Villanova product plays through the postseason will be critical to their ceiling.
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This story was originally published March 14, 2025 at 10:46 AM.