There are two months until the 2024-25 NBA season begins, yet fans of the New York Knicks are already hyping up what could be one of the best years this historic organization has ever had. For years, the Knicks were bottom feeders in the Eastern Conference, simply looking for any reason not to be the laughing stock of the league. Those days are no more, as Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, and an energetic roster have proven that New York is ready to be considered a real title contender. It also helps that the Knicks went out and made a huge move to bring in Mikal Bridges this offseason.
Out of all the teams in the NBA, the Knicks may just have been the most aggressive over the last year. After winning 47 games and making the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2022, Leon Rose and New York's front office ended up pulling off a huge move at the trade deadline to acquire OG Anunoby.
Although it was unfortunate that Anunoby was hurt for a chunk of time last season, the Knicks still managed to go 20-3 with the two-way forward on the court, helping them achieve a 50-win season for the first time since Carmelo Anthony was leading the team during the 2012-13 season.
Now that the window has opened for the Knicks to be true contenders in the East next to the likes of the Boston Celtics, who are coming off their 18th championship in franchise history, Bridges became the clear answer for who could complete this roster.
Known as the NBA's ironman due to the fact that he has never missed a game, Bridges is the picture-perfect player to add to this roster for a couple of reasons. In addition to being a player head coach Tom Thibodeau can rely on for any amount of minutes in any game, Bridges also brings a level of versatility in the sense that he can wear multiple hats.
While he is labeled as a wing that tends to play off the ball, Bridges proved to be a secondary facilitator and ball-handler during his short stint with the Brooklyn Nets. He averaged a career-high 3.6 assists per game last season, and as the Nets' focal scorer, Bridges began to take the next step in his career as a borderline All-Star-like talent.
Much like how Anunoby joined the team and immediately made his presence felt on both ends of the court, Bridges is going to hold a very similar role. The only difference is that, whereas Anunoby was more of a catch-and-shoot option who could help push the pace in transition, Bridges is that third-key star on offense that can create his own opportunities that the Knicks have been searching for.
Not to mention, Bridges is now reunited with Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Josh Hart, as all four friends won a national championship together at Villanova in 2016. These four players have won a championship before, which is why the Knicks are confident that they can do so again.
Nobody is more excited for the 2024-25 NBA season than Knicks fans, and they have a lot of reasons to already begin celebrating what could wind up being a magical season after what was accomplished this offseason.
Knicks key offseason additions and departures
Additions: F Mikal Bridges (Trade – BKN), F Keita Bates-Diop (Trade – BKN), G Cam Payne (FA – PHI), G Tyler Kolek (Draft), G Pacome Dadiet (Draft),
Departures: C Isaiah Hartenstein (FA – OKC), F Bojan Bogdanovic (Trade – BKN), G Alec Burks (FA – MIA), G Shake Milton (Trade – BKN)
The biggest addition that the Knicks made this offseason was adding Bridges in a trade that nobody thought was going to happen.
Even at the trade deadline in February, the Nets turned down numerous offers that came their way for Bridges because of his potential to become one of the faces of their team after Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving left. Ultimately, with Brooklyn not seeing any chance of adding another star to pair with Bridges, the idea of trading him while his value was at its highest made the most sense.
In order to land Bridges, the Knicks had to send out four unprotected first-round picks in 2025, 2027, 2029, and 2031, as well as a top-4 protected 2025 first-round pick from the Milwaukee Bucks and an unprotected pick swap in 2028. A 2025 second-round pick, Bojan Bogdanovic, Mamadi Diakite, and Shake Milton were also included in this mega deal that sent Bridges, Keita Bates-Diop, and a 2026 second-round pick to New York.
This was the highlight of the trade market and free agency this offseason for the Knicks, especially when you look at their rotations now. Brunson, Randle, and Bridges will all be starting, with the last two spots likely going to Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson to create a lengthy and defensive-minded starting five. DiVincenzo, Hart, Miles McBride, and Precious Achiuwa will be the four names to own featured roles off the bench.
Other than trading for Bridges, the Knicks were limited in terms of what moves they could make due to their $180 million payroll exceeding the first tax apron. After executing this trade with the Nets, the next order of business for the Knicks was to retain what was theirs.
Anunoby was the team's priority, as he secured a new five-year, $212.5 million contract ahead of free agency, and Brunson made the ultimate sacrifice by taking $113 million less than what he would've been eligible to receive next season. Brunson put pen to paper on a new $156.5 million contract that keeps him in a Knicks uniform through the 2028-29 season. However, Brunson is going to be the face of this franchise for many years to come after being named the 36th captain in team history.
It is only fitting that Brunson was named the captain of the Knicks since he has led this organization both on and off the court. The entire vibe surrounding the Knicks changed upon Brunson's arrival in 2022, which is why he received this honor.
Upon agreeing to new deals with Anunoby and Brunson, keeping Thibodeau around and rewarding him for being one of the best coaches in the league was next on the list for the Knicks. The team agreed to a three-year extension that keeps him in New York through the 2027-28 season.
The only downside to this offseason for the Knicks is that they weren't able to keep Isaiah Hartenstein, who stepped up in the absence of Randle and Robinson in the frontcourt during the team's postseason run. Hartenstein was great in a Knicks uniform, and the fans loved him, but the three-year, $87 million contract he got from the Oklahoma City Thunder was well out of New York's pay range, especially since they had just acquired Bridges.
While losing Hartenstein was not ideal, the Knicks remain high on Robinson and Achiuwa. It is also possible that Thibodeau will go smaller at times, with Randle in the center position and the Villanova boys surrounding him.
The Knicks finally have rotational options, depth, and a will to win at the highest level possible. Bridges arriving and joining the mix is only going to make this team strong, but can his production on the court be enough to lift New York past Boston in the Eastern Conference?
Mikal Bridges' fit with Knicks
As good of a scorer as he is, Bridges is equally important on the defensive side of the floor. This is the main reason why he is going to be such an important piece in the Knicks' championship equation.
When you think of the Knicks and what they accomplished this past season, the first thing that comes to mind is Brunson's MVP-like heroics offensively. But what gets overlooked is that the team as a whole ranked inside the top 10 in both offensive and defensive ratings. The Knicks, Celtics, Thunder, and Denver Nuggets are the only teams that can say they accomplished this over the course of the 2023-24 season.
The bottom line is that the Knicks are one of the best two-way teams in the league. Anunoby obviously helped them improve defensively, and Bridges is going to have a similar impact defensively.
Simply comparing the Knicks to the Celtics, New York finally has the personnel to be able to match up against the defending champions and feel confident in their ability to win. Anunoby and Bridges can guard both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, which allows the KNicks to devise a plan of attack offensively.
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There is also the fact that Bridges is a very talented offensive player and can lead the Knicks in scoring when Brunson isn't in the game or is struggling. This past season, Bridges averaged 19.6 points per game while shooting 43.6 percent from the floor and 37.2 percent from three-point range. Having this type of player, who can play at a high level on both ends of the court, is a luxury.
Bridges was the best option for New York this offseason. While the organization paid a lofty price to get him, this is a move that is going to pay itself off. Of course, winning a championship in 2025 would surely be enough to look back on this trade and deem it a win for the Knicks.
Knicks 2024-25 season outlook
When you look at all the moves made across the NBA this offseason, it is quite hard to come up with an argument against the Knicks being the second-best team on paper. Obviously, the Celtics are going to rank first overall because of the stars they have and the fact that they just won the 2024 NBA Finals. But the Knicks are a very talented team with personnel that can fill a bunch of different needs.
In fact, there really isn't any aspect in which the Knicks appear to be limited or weak.
Although the Knicks weren't as strong of a defensive rebounding team last season, they made up for it with offensive rebounds. Even without Hartenstein, Randle's return and Bridges' ability to crash the glass will make up for the lost production. Offensively, the Knicks are only going to be a better scoring and shooting team with Bridges on the wing.
The Knicks have pushed all of their chips in at the NBA poker table. This is the roster that they believe can win at the highest level possible, and it is not out of the realm of possibilities to believe that the Knicks can improve their record and win more than 50 games this upcoming season.
Before the season begins, the Knicks are already being picked as the team with the best chance of going up against the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. This task will not be easy to achieve, as there are a handful of teams in the East vying to contend against the likes of Boston.
Health is going to play a factor in New York, as will egos. The good news is that the Knicks haven't had any problems with managing their emotions to this point, and they may just be the strongest team in the league when it comes to having a genuine bond.
The Knicks are legitimate championship contenders.
