Knicks Newcomer Mikal Bridges: ‘I Feel Like I’m Kinda In A Glue Role’

September 25, 2024

The newest big name on the Knicks has been working out at the team’s practice facility since the day he was traded from the Nets, and frankly, that’s just the Mikal Bridges way.

Now, all Bridges and the Knicks need to do is live up to their lofty expectations. He shared all of that and more in an exclusive interview with Spencer Davies of RG.org.

For the record, the Knicks are Bridges’ third team in as many seasons. He started with the Suns, went to the Nets as part of the Kevin Durant deal, then was sent across town in June.

“Crazy. I would’ve thought I was the last person to be traded all the time,” Bridges told Davies. “It kinda started when I was in Phoenix. I thought I probably never was gonna leave Phoenix.

“Being the type of player I am, I feel like I’m kinda in a glue role usually a team would trade for or would trade to give up [a lot]. But once that starts, once you get traded once, now it’s like it’s gonna be continuous. But hopefully, things go great [in New York] and I don’t gotta keep moving teams.”

Bridges averaged 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.0 steals with the Nets last season, shooting 43.6% from the field and 37.2% on 3-pointers.

Considered one of the league’s top two-way players, he carries career averages of 14.3 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.2 steals with the Suns and Nets. He was the No. 10 overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft and is due to make about $23 million this season.

He will now run alongside the likes of Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and Julius Randle, with the Knicks hoping to advance beyond the Eastern Conference semifinals — which they’ve reached in each of the past two seasons. Bridges intends to do his part to help them get there.

“Being able to do everything offensively, defensively but also maintaining that while being efficient,” he told Davies of his individual goals. “It’s gonna be worked out. It’s not easy, but it’s what I’m aiming for.”

You can check out much more of what Bridges had to say on RG.org right here.