The trade that sent Mikal Bridges to New York for six first-round picks looked like a massive overpay from the start. Now, with the Knicks sitting at 0-3 and Bridges shooting just 5-of-23 from the field, the deal looks even worse. The player is averaging only 3.3 points per game while recording a negative plus-minus in every contest. It is a total disaster for the franchise that gave up so much to get him.
A Wake-Up Call for the Defending Champs
New York looks nothing like the juggernaut that won the NBA title less than four months ago. The team allowed Orlando to score 40 points in a single quarter, a collapse that no champion should accept. Legendary commentator Mike Breen called the slow start a “wake-up call” during the game against the Magic on Sunday. Even Jalen Brunson, the Finals MVP, is shooting just 39% from the field and has admitted that “everything falls on my shoulders.” The defense is broken, and the stars are missing their shots.
Coach Mike Brown has been blunt about the reality facing his squad. He told his players that “our crap stinks” and that they are the only ones who can fix it. Brown broke the season into five-game segments to track progress, noting that “if you’re doing anything less than that, you know that nobody is reaching their potential.” The Knicks have not reached their potential in the first three games, and the margin for error is now razor-thin.
Brooklyn Fans Have No Joy to Share
You would think the Brooklyn Nets fans would be laughing at their crosstown rivals after such a bad start. Because the Nets hold the rights to this season’s Knicks first-round pick, they ought to celebrate the trade’s failure. Instead, they are stuck in their own misery because the Nets are also 0-3. They lost their opener to a Charlotte team without key players and got blown out in Cleveland.
According to FanSided, currently only the Nets could be a greater disaster than the Knicks. Brooklyn lost their third game by 27 points at home, proving they have their own severe problems. The trade was supposed to build a contender for New York and a foundation for Brooklyn, but it has resulted in two terrible teams. The six picks might be worth something someday, but right now they just sit in a pocket while both teams lose.
The Long Road Ahead
Three games out of 82 mean very little in the grand scheme of things, but the trend is scary. Since the Dallas Mavericks achieved this in the shortened 2011-12 season, the Knicks remain the sole defending champions beginning a season 0-3. That Dallas team finished 36-30 and got swept in the first round. New York cannot afford to follow that path.
The next game is against the unbeaten Detroit Pistons, which will be an extremely physical matchup. If the Knicks cannot fix their transition defense and get Bridges to hit a single three-pointer, things could get ugly fast. The team has the chemistry to turn it around, but they need to stop giving up 40-point quarters immediately. Giving up that many points is way too much for a team with championship expectations.