VDesai wrote:martin wrote:VDesai wrote:We spent 5 first rounders so the likes of Cade would not embarrass us in the playoffs. Maybe Cade has befome so transcendant no one can guard him - but this is a great opportunity for Mikal to earn his extension.
For me, it seemed to take iHart more than a season and maybe up to 2 seasons to find his footing in NY. Some of it was due to his achilles the first year, some of it was opportunity playing behind Mitch.
Some times is just takes time for players to sort out things within the team environment. We shall see.
Also bears mentioning iHart was comfortable in his role midway through his first season. Not saying Bridges hasnt had his games, but its still doesnt feel like he is entirely comfortable with what he ks doing in each game. We want him to guard ball handlers but i dont think he likes guarding ballhandlers?
yes, I would love for Bridge's to eat Cade's lunch. But is that really the barometer for success here? I think that's as absurd as Mike Budenholzer telling Bradley Beal that he's their Jrue Holliday
I have never believed Mikal Bridges to be Bruce Bowen. I view him at his best as a B+ scorer and a B+ defender. I view him a guy who can succeed without needing to be featured. We just added another guy who is being featured by us, and last year we added another guy who all of a sudden look like peak Kawhi. I would argue all those other guys have to figure it out completely before Bridges will get his chance to figure it out completely
Lastly, the way for him to 'redeem' himself isn't by clamping anyone down. The way he redeems himself is to continue to stay available, and when Brunson, KAT, or OG gets injured and then Bridges steps in and its like nothing bad happened
My goal is Bridges can stay on Cade most of the game so OG can roam and Cade averages under 30 ppg. The Pistons win this bc Cade goes off for 35 ppg and Brunson's us this series - entirely possible, but the idea of trading for Bridges with his length and wingspan is exactly to stop that from happening.
SupremeCommander wrote:VDesai wrote:martin wrote:VDesai wrote:We spent 5 first rounders so the likes of Cade would not embarrass us in the playoffs. Maybe Cade has befome so transcendant no one can guard him - but this is a great opportunity for Mikal to earn his extension.
For me, it seemed to take iHart more than a season and maybe up to 2 seasons to find his footing in NY. Some of it was due to his achilles the first year, some of it was opportunity playing behind Mitch.
Some times is just takes time for players to sort out things within the team environment. We shall see.
Also bears mentioning iHart was comfortable in his role midway through his first season. Not saying Bridges hasnt had his games, but its still doesnt feel like he is entirely comfortable with what he ks doing in each game. We want him to guard ball handlers but i dont think he likes guarding ballhandlers?
yes, I would love for Bridge's to eat Cade's lunch. But is that really the barometer for success here? I think that's as absurd as Mike Budenholzer telling Bradley Beal that he's their Jrue Holliday
I have never believed Mikal Bridges to be Bruce Bowen. I view him at his best as a B+ scorer and a B+ defender. I view him a guy who can succeed without needing to be featured. We just added another guy who is being featured by us, and last year we added another guy who all of a sudden look like peak Kawhi. I would argue all those other guys have to figure it out completely before Bridges will get his chance to figure it out completely
Lastly, the way for him to 'redeem' himself isn't by clamping anyone down. The way he redeems himself is to continue to stay available, and when Brunson, KAT, or OG gets injured and then Bridges steps in and its like nothing bad happened
Yeah, I'm in this boat with you. We have to ask: was Mikal the Dyson Daniels of defenders before he got to NY or Brooklyn? Probably not but he is a very good defender - he has won the Knicks games with his defense - asked to play the most minutes in the league while being available every day and defending the best offensive players AND scoring at a fairly high clip. We found out he is not young Kobe or LeBron is all.
What are Mikal's comparisons in the league? Guys that are as good as he is as a defender while putting up the stats on offense and not missing 20 games a year? The comps would be interesting.
I think THibs and staff and FO push players to see what their limits are, they have to find out too. And then they readjust accordingly. Knicks asked a lot from Mikal. They pushed Randle too and he thrived in 2020 and maybe failed the year after, but he and team were better for it. They are currently pushing Brunson and KAT as well. I think Brunson is thriving (while still needing to run the offense better) and KAT is not (especially and obviously on the defensive side of things).
VDesai, Leon already knows he has little leverage in negotiating a contract with Mikal, and that is the same for most all players in Mikal's position, it's just not a Knicks thing. You can never let a talent that Mikal has walk, you just can't. Mikal is a proven player within his skillset. He is tight with Brunson and also brought players like Cam Payne and perhaps Shamet with him. You have to account for all of that. Mikal will get a market rate contract and has next year to prove if he is in the OG $40M category or just a bit under.
Otherwise, you tempt fate and let him walk? No way.
I'm not saying you let him walk. Its an extension not Free Agency. The point is do you feel like he fit the team that way that you had hoped? Before you commit dollars you can decide whether trading him now makes sense before salary escalation changes his value. I think its a fair question. When we acquired him the idea of being able to guard the Cade's of the world was absolutely no.1 on the list of things. Knicks know they have Brunson as their star and looked at Mikal with his wingspan/movement/defensive profile and felt he was the perfect point of attack defender to acquire. I would say him fitting that role has been uneven. Detroit are going to screen him with Duren and Stewart and will he play through the contact or will be navigating away and giving Cade space to pull up for 3s? I think the series will leave a strong impression of whether you think he fits the role going forward.
The Knicks cannot let him walk for free, but I think this offseason is the time to make a decision on a trade if you feel like he's not a surefire extension/longterm fit.
Mikal eligible for 4 year $150M extension this offseason. That's in the $37.5M per range.
martin wrote:Mikal eligible for 4 year $150M extension this offseason. That's in the $37.5M per range.
Given what players are making, thats not unreasonable.
Game 1: Mikal a big fart burger!
Dissapeared after the first Q.
I didnt hate his defense though. He had moments. But he should be killing this Pistons drop.
Thibs made an adjustment and the knicks won the game.
OG messed up Cade. It took a while but he not only had a bad 1st half, he fell apart in the 4th.
Bridges late in the 4th hit some key moments. Its the playoffs. Not all will shine every night.
Towns was brilliant and had a few good defensive plays.
Brunson pulled it out. Pistons played a really good game but could not sustain and knicks ripped them apart after being gown 9. What ever Thibs did was golden. they executed well. CamFuckingPayne was the spark.
For everyone saying there are not enough basketballs, why was Cam able to thrive last night? That is supposed to be Mikal's role
Bridges is basically 4th option. He’s gonna be invisible many nights because 4th option is usually a random contributor any given night. It is what it is.
Knicks win!!!
Bridges came up when he had to.
Panos wrote:For everyone saying there are not enough basketballs, why was Cam able to thrive last night? That is supposed to be Mikal's role
Cam getting hot is not a knock on Cam.
Feel like Bridges provided some consistency and poise early on in game 1.
Im freaking out that Deuce can't hit shit of late.
I love it that Shamet took it to Duran nearly drawing the foul on dunk attempt.
Knicks next man up will change game to game.
DLeethal wrote:Bridges is basically 4th option. Hes gonna be invisible many nights because 4th option is usually a random contributor any given night. It is what it is.
He's supposed to be the third option. That he's not is no one else's fault but his own
Panos wrote:DLeethal wrote:Bridges is basically 4th option. Hes gonna be invisible many nights because 4th option is usually a random contributor any given night. It is what it is.
He's supposed to be the third option. That he's not is no one else's fault but his own
And with the rise of OG on offense why is it even defined as such?
Panos wrote:DLeethal wrote:Bridges is basically 4th option. Hes gonna be invisible many nights because 4th option is usually a random contributor any given night. It is what it is.
He's supposed to be the third option. That he's not is no one else's fault but his own
Nah. Ball finds energy and then it’s up to the team to figure out who to go with on matchups.
This the playoffs, not robotics.
KAT and Brunson will dictate much from the tipoff, then it’s about going to what works.
Nalod wrote:
Im freaking out that Deuce can't hit shit of late.
I love it that Shamet took it to Duran nearly drawing the foul on dunk attempt. Knicks next man up will change game to game.
Dont understand how that was overturned given the initial call and all the contact on replay. Lots of contact went with no call - that got called and overturned somehow.
Its not really about 3rd or 4th option - he started out well and then floated. He went like 25 or 30 floor minutes without scoring. Pistons are playing drop and his game is midrange. That shouldn't happen.
That said despite a couple bad possessions on Cade I thought he did a pretty good overall job defensively.
But thank god Cam went off bc without Deuce or Bridges hitting 3s it was a startling deficit we faced in that department.
