Mikal Bridges’ Struggles Put Knicks At Crossroads

The New York Knicks are facing a decision regarding shooting guard Mikal Bridges after he has struggled this season, averaging only six points per game and shooting under 30% from the field. Despite this, the team has shown improvement, winning three of their last four games. Bridges, however, has played fewer than 20 minutes in the wins against the Brooklyn Nets and Chicago Bulls. This raises questions about the team's approach to Bridges.

There are three potential courses of action: riding out the slump, benching Bridges, or trading him. Riding out the slump is a common approach for players going through rough patches. Bridges has overcome similar struggles before, including during the playoffs last season. Additionally, Bridges is the most reliable player among the NBA's guards in terms of availability, having played every game since the 2020-21 season without missing any.

However, Bridges' minutes have decreased this season, down to 25.7 per game, largely due to other players on the bench outperforming him. Landry Shamet, in particular, has stepped up, averaging over 10 points per game and 24.9 minutes per game. Given this, benching Bridges for Shamet could be an effective strategy to improve the team's performance.

Trading Bridges is a less likely option, given his valuable experience and situation-free availability. His contract is also expensive, making a trade less appealing. While trading him is not impossible, it would be a significant move and may not be in the Knicks' best interest at this time. Ultimately, the Knicks are likely to choose between riding out the slump or benching Bridges, with the former being the more likely scenario.