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New York Knicks: Adding Bridges will help get to other side of rebuild

By Sean Dyer

EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 10: Miles Bridges #22 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates after the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Breslin Center on January 10, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images)
EAST LANSING, MI - JANUARY 10: Miles Bridges #22 of the Michigan State Spartans celebrates after the game against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Breslin Center on January 10, 2018 in East Lansing, Michigan. (Photo by Rey Del Rio/Getty Images) /
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How can the New York Knicks get to the other side of their rebuild? Why adding Bridges of course! Luckily, the 2018 NBA Draft has a pair of Bridges, Mikal and Miles, who the Knicks should target.

The New York Knicks will pick in their expected ninth overall slot in the 2018 NBA Draft after they were spurned once again by the NBA Draft Lottery on Tuesday night. Lacking luck with the ping pong balls, the Knicks need to at least find some talent this offseason.

As they work through their current rebuild, the Knicks could use talent just about anywhere on the roster. Kristaps Porzingis is their star, Frank Ntilikina is their most recent first-round pick, Trey Burke broke out at the end of last season, Emmanuel Mudiay was last year’s trade deadline acquisition, and Enes Kanter has a looming player option. When those are your five best players, “contender” usually isn’t associated with your team.

The Knicks will continue their quest to improve their roster and get to the other side of their rebuild. One of the more effective ways to get from one side to the other is to build a bridge. Luckily for New York, the 2018 NBA Draft has a pair of Bridges, Mikal and Miles, who the Knicks can target!

Mikal Bridges is coming off his second National Championship of his collegiate career and the former Villanova wing has a chance to be an even better pro than he was college player. Bridges averaged 17.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 1.5 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game during his 2017-18 season. He shot 51.4 percent from the field, 43.5 percent from beyond the arc, and 85.1 percent from the free throw line.

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Bridges stands 6’7, 210 lb. with a 7’1 wingspan and uses his incredible length at both ends of the floor. Bridges is a great defender and can hit jumpers over opponents similar to Kevin Durant. He has a promisingly high floor as a 3-and-D guy with the ceiling of a KD.

If the New York Knicks drafted Mikal Bridges ninth overall, he could start at the three (moving Tim Hardaway Jr. to the two) and could play at the four when the Knicks inevitably go to a small lineup. Bridges would improve New York’s offensive and defensive units and the Knicks don’t have anyone on their current roster with a similar skillset.

If Mikal doesn’t fit the Knicks’ fancy (or he’s off the board at No. 9), they could build their bridge with Miles. Miles Bridges likely would’ve been a lottery pick in 2017 but decided to return to Michigan State for his sophomore season. After another promising college season, Bridges is once again in the top ten conversation.

Bridges averaged 17.1 points, 7.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.6 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game during his 2017-18 season. He shot 45.7 percent from the field, 36.4 percent from beyond the arc, and 85.3 percent from the free throw line. Bridges was asked to play the three his sophomore year but he’s better suited to play the four, where he played his freshman season. While playing his natural position, Bridges averaged 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game, shot 48.6 percent from the field, 38.9 percent from beyond the arc, and still averaged 16.9 points.

The 6’6, 225 lb. forward has a 6’9 wingspan and would pair perfectly with Porzingis in the New York Knicks frontcourt. New York should leave Bridges in his natural position at the four with KP at the five. Porzingis and Bridges are the perfect frontcourt combination in today’s small ball era of the NBA. Both can score from anywhere on the court and defend multiple positions. With the frontcourt settled, the Knicks could then figure out a backcourt combination from the group of Hardaway, Ntilikina, Burke, and Mudiay.

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Knicks fans are understandably frustrated with another unsuccessful season followed by an unlucky NBA Draft Lottery. However, there will be talented players available when they are on the clock at No. 9 overall. They should focus on adding one of the Bridges, whether it’s Mikal or Miles. Maybe, just maybe, the Bridges they add will help them cross over from rebuilding to contending.

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