The Knicks’ trade for Mikal Bridges puts them on a collision course with Boston that only Tom Thibodeau can stop
It wasn’t long after the Boston Celtics won their first championship in 16 years that talk began about whether it was the start of a new NBA dynasty. Now, a week later, we already have our first sign the rest of the league won’t sit idly by while Boston attempts to make that a reality.
The New York Knicks traded for Mikal Bridges Tuesday night, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported, upgrading a roster that came within a game of the Eastern Conference Finals this past season before injuries derailed them.
As previously constructed, the Knicks were one of the teams best equipped to challenge Boston in a seven-game series. After reuniting Bridges with his Villanova brothers — Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo — they might be the single-biggest threat in the East. Especially if they’re able to re-sign OG Anunoby, which Wojnarowski reported they’re determined to do.
The Knicks go deeper into the Villanova national championship roster — bringing Mikal Bridges to join his old teammates and close friends Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVencenzo. pic.twitter.com/G544CT02zI
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 26, 2024
Related: Mikal Bridges trade grades for the Knicks and Nets
At the very least, the Knicks are on a collision course with their rivals to the northeast. As we enter free agency, they’d be my pick as the team most likely to knock them off.
Oddsmakers at BetMGM agree, elevating New York from +1600 before the trade to +900 to win the 2025 title, which is tied for third-best overall and second-best of any team in the East, behind Boston at +300.
Assuming Anunoby returns, the Knicks have a starting lineup that matches up extremely well with Boston at every position. They’d likely still be an underdog in a playoff series, but if healthy, they’d have a puncher’s chance of knocking off the champs.
That health piece is still a concern, though. Head coach Tom Thibodeau is notorious for leaving his best players on the floor a ton of minutes, which may end up being the biggest roadblock in New York’s path to a deep playoff run.
Though injuries causing Anunoby, Brunson, Julius Randle and Mitchell Robinson to all miss time in the playoffs may have simply been bad luck, there is a pattern since Thibodeau’s days in Chicago that suggests his coaching may grind players down. Last season, no team had more instances of players playing 40-plus minutes in a game than New York’s 78, according to Stathead.
In fact, the next three teams on that list were all non-playoff teams. There’s a large gap between the Knicks and the fourth team on the list, the Philadelphia 76ers at 45 such games. The Knicks have been a top-three team in the category each year under Thibodeau.
Mikal Bridges hasn't missed a game since HIGH SCHOOL pic.twitter.com/wjaLeo5Q5s
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 26, 2024
It all points to a coach who needs to find a better balance of utilizing his bench in order to preserve his starters for the postseason. If any player will challenge Thibodeau’s ability to do that, it’ll be Bridges who hasn’t missed a game since high school and leads the NBA in total minutes played since he entered the league in 2018.
If Thibodeau can resist the urge to leave his guys in games for large stretches, he may have a team that can push for a title as soon as next season. If not, his position will probably be the next one New York looks to make a change. After trading five first-round picks and some more to land Bridges, he has no choice but to win now.