The worst secret kept in the NBA last year was that Mikal Bridges wanted to be a Knick. That was incredibly evident when he appeared on the Roommates Show in February. When it happened this summer, we all celebrated.

It was the Knicks’ “all-in” move we had all been waiting for. Giving up six total first-round picks is no small feat, but there was a collective sense that it was the right move to make for the team’s competitive future. After OG Anunoby re-signed in free agency, the fantasies about two elite wing defenders in the same starting lineup became intoxicating.

But a few weeks into the season, Bridges’ fit with the Knicks has been awkward. For someone who required so much capital to acquire, he is sometimes an afterthought, often parked in the corner on offense and thus far relatively average on defense. If the Knicks are to reach the heights that they desire this year and beyond, they will need more from Mikal Bridges.

It is important to understand the price the Knicks had given the Nets to get Mikal and where it sits historically in the pantheon of NBA trades of the last couple of decades.

The most important element of the deal, from an asset perspective, is that it took four unprotected first-round picks and six total firsts to get the deal done. That level of pick compensation has usually netted a star player in return.  Let’s consider some of the bigger trades in recent memory that commanded similar draft capital:

All these players came into their situations expected to be focal points of their new teams. The greater an investment, the more that is expected of the player. So, while the numbers for Bridges have been acceptable on the surface so far this year (16.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game), when we consider the amount given up, it is not good enough. The vision for Bridges, even after the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, was for him to be an occasional offensive creator who would lock up opposing wings on defense alongside OG Anunoby.

The reality has been different so far. At times, Bridges has faded to the background while the triumvirate of Towns, Brunson, and Anunoby flourishes. These struggles lead us to wonder when we will see a correct role for him in the flow of this year’s group.

Mikal Bridges’ career has been a story of three vastly different chapters in Phoenix, Brooklyn, and now New York. In each stop, what has been asked of Bridges has varied, leading to differing opinions on the best role for him in the league.

In Phoenix, he was a young, energetic defender who was reliable from three on offense. This was enough, as the Suns of that era relied on Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and DeAndre Ayton for much of their offense. During his last two full seasons in Phoenix, Bridges took 9.9 shots per game, shooting 54% from the field and 38% from three. 41% of his shots were threes, and he had a usage rate of 15%, all numbers that fit in with that role.

In Brooklyn, he became the focus of the team offensively. His three-point attempt rate was 43%, but his usage skyrocketed to 25.7%, as did his shots per game (16.5). Because of this offensive focus, his defensive win shares dropped from 3.7 in 2021-22 to 2.1 in 2023-24. He was asked to do it all on a bad team, which saw some dips in his field goal efficiency last season (43.6%).

Now Bridges is a Knick. His shot volume of 14.2 attempts per game is in between his first two stops, but his three-point percentage has dipped significantly to 31%, the lowest of his career. His three-point attempt rate, meanwhile, is at 45%. He is shooting a similar rate of threes with decreased usage and less efficiency.

In many ways, Bridges feels a bit lost on a team with Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns as its centerpieces. Far too often, it feels like he is passive, waiting for the swing pass to attempt a three. Considering his skillset and the cost of acquiring him, that feels like a missed opportunity.

When a group of talented players is assembled on a roster, there always needs to be some concessions made. Brunson, Towns, and Bridges have all been asked to be the focal point of a team at some point in their careers. Now together, there needs to be adjustments. Towns has adapted to this seamlessly, often deferring to Brunson while still being wildly effective as a scorer.

Considering that the Knicks are missing some initiation capability with their reserves, it stands to reason that Bridges could anchor that group far more often, especially when Precious Achiuwa and/or Mitchell Robinson return to the lineup. Currently, the Knicks’ bench ranks last in points per game with 18.8, while they are fifth in the league in three-point percentage at 39.3%. They have capable shooters but no proper initiator.

Bridges, while far from elite, showed that he can be the focal point at times in Brooklyn. This would enable him to run with a bench unit consisting of Deuce McBride, Cam Payne, Pacome Dadiet, and others to create advantages for open looks.

Additionally, this could make Bridges more comfortable in his role while increasing the efficiency and output of the bench unit. In a perfect world, Bridges would step in as a more aggressive scorer when Towns or Brunson are having an off-night. This hasn’t happened yet, but it could become a reality if Bridges shows his ability to do so with the bench.

The bright side of the current Bridges situation is that we have seen some recent improvements. In their last two games against the Nets, Bridges showed a propensity to shoot more off the catch in the midrange. This season, he is shooting an incredible 72.2% from midrange on 36 attempts (accounting for 18% of his total shots). This trend is indicative that the evolution of Bridges’ role is forever changing.

Integrating new pieces takes time, and we are seeing that with Bridges on the Knicks. It does feel that every game sees levels of improvement. This team will never reach its full potential if Bridges sits in the corner all the time. The hope is that by the All-Star break, the role will be clearly defined.