Stephen A. Smith's eye-opening take on crazy Mikal Bridges, Knicks trade

06/26/2024 01:15 AM

On Tuesday night, the New York Knicks pulled off a blockbuster trade for Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges. The Knicks gave up four first-round picks for the coveted two-way forward, which has fans questioning if New York overpaid. Renowned Knicks supporter and ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith gave an eye-opening take on the deal.

“Now I know that ya’ll are sitting out there and saying, ‘It’s Mikal Bridges. He’s a good player, but it ain’t like ya’ll got KD or somebody.’ Bump all that! Okay?” Smith said after giving an excited yell, via his X account.

“Chemistry matters. Reliability matters. Consistency matters. Defense matters. The brother can shoot. The brother can play. I’m sorry! I like this move by the New York Knicks. He’s young, energetic, seasoned. He defends and fits right into the culture of the New York Knicks, and that’s all I ask. You crawl before you walk baby. We crawled last year. We’re gonna walk, and we’re close to sprinting” Smith added.

“I still think we need another piece. But we have moved in the right direction. I like this!… go New York go New York go! We crawl before we rise. Here we come.”

To say Stephen A. Smith is excited about the Mikal Bridges trade is an understatement. Smith believes Bridges’ combination of availability, scoring, and defense will take New York to the next level, and it is hard to argue with him.

Mikal Bridges looks to boost Knicks after respectable Nets stint 

One of the best things Bridges provides the Knicks is durability. The 6’6″ forward possesses the longest active streak of games played in the NBA. He has not missed a single game since he was drafted in 2018. Moreover, Bridges’ shooting and defensive ability are among the best. He was a Defensive Player of the Year runner-up during the 2021-22 season and made the All-Defensive First Team. In addition, Bridges’ offensive production shows that he can score at a high level.

Through 82 games during the 2023-24 season, Bridges averaged a career-high 19.6 points and shot 37.2 percent on three-pointers. Many fans and analysts expected Bridges to take a larger jump than he did in his first full season with the Nets. However, it understandably took a toll on him to jump from a key role player with the Phoenix Suns to a lead star with Brooklyn.

The Knicks could get the best version of Bridges, as he can focus on thriving as a 3-and-D wing alongside Jalen Brunson, who will take the brunt of the offensive load. Speaking of Brunson, the star point guard must be happy to reunite with his old Villanova teammate. Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, Josh Hart, and Bridges all helped the Wildcats win an NCAA title in 2016. All except Hart won again in 2018.

It will be interesting to see if the reunited teammates can replicate their college feat on the NBA stage with the Knicks. One thing is for sure: Stephen A. Smith approves of the Mikal Bridges trade and predicts great things for New York.

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