The New York Knicks have championship expectations coming into the 2024-2025 season after an extremely daring summer time that noticed the staff chase a pair of co-stars for MVP candidate Jalen Brunson. The Knicks’ latest commerce for Karl-Anthony Cities has been dissected advert nauseam, but it surely 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’ll 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 loads to surrender for one participant, Bridges has been actually, actually good. He matches completely into the ‘3-and-D’ wing mould as a usually low utilization swingman who can defend at a excessive stage (he was First-Group All-Protection in 2022) and make three-pointers on quantity. During the last two seasons between stints with the Suns and Nets, Bridges made 37.6 % 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 finest position gamers.
As Bridges hit coaching camp for the Knicks, one thing surprising occurred: movies saved popping up of his leap capturing kind wanting actually, actually bizarre. Notably, Bridges had a giant hitch in his leap 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 might be unwise to attract massive conclusions off such a small pattern measurement. Stephen Curry additionally struggled capturing threes within the preseason this 12 months, going 7-for-25 (28 %) from downtown. Is his shot damaged, too? In fact not.
On the identical time: Bridges’ shot seems to be bizarre, man. Bridges has spoken about making an attempt to get rid of the hitch in his jumper up to now, but it surely’s by no means regarded like this. Right here’s his latest clarification of what’s happening along with his capturing mechanics:
An unsightly shot is simply fantastic if it’s persistently falling, however Bridges’ outcomes with this shot are so unhealthy that it’s starting to get somewhat scary for New York followers.
Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards even hounded Bridges about busting his jumper throughout a preseason sport:
It seems to be 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 to be 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 take a look at that this doesn’t look proper.
Right here’s what Bridges’ jumper used to seem like on the finish of the 2022 season:
There did look like somewhat 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 rather well final 12 months from deep (37.2 on 7.2 makes an attempt per sport from three), so possibly this can be a massive 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 might be one New York regrets for the very long time.
