Mikal Bridges to Wear No. 25 Knicks Jersey After Trade from Nets During NBA Offseason

Mikal Bridges switched teams this offseason after the New York Knicks pulled off a blockbuster trade to acquire him, sending multiple first-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets.

On Sunday, he announced that he'll also be switching numbers, going from the No. 1 to the No. 25 in the Big Apple:

In total, the Knicks gave up Bojan Bogdanovic, Shake Milton, Mamadi Diakite, four unprotected firsts (2025, 2027, 2029, 2031), a top-four protected first-rounder in 2025 (via the Milwaukee Bucks), an unprotected first-round pick swap in 2028 and a 2025 fifth-rounder for Bridges, Keita Bates-Diop, the draft rights to Juan Pablo Vaulet and a 2026 second-round selection.

It was a massive haul for Bridges, who has never been selected to an All-Star team in his career.

Granted, Bridges had a career year in the 2022-23 campaign for the Nets, averaging 26.1 points per game across 27 contests about being acquired in the deal that sent Kevin Durant to Phoenix. But that was something of an outlier—he's never averaged more than 20.1 points per game across a full season, including his 19.6 points per game last year.

Still, the Knicks have fantastic wing options now, with Bridges and OG Anunoby pairing in the starting lineup and depth options like Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo behind them.

There are questions about whether Jalen Brunson can truly be the No. 1 option on a title contender, however. Or whether the team can overcome the potential spacing issues of a Mitchell Robinson and Julius Randle frontcourt.

There's no doubt that the Knicks will be a terror defensively. Bridges and Anunoby alone will guarantee as much, and head coach Tom Thibodeau will demand it. And Bridges will slot in as a solid second option on offense.

But do the Knicks have the offensive firepower to compete with other top contenders in the East like the Boston Celtics, Philadelphia 76ers or the Bucks?

The answer to that question will likely determine their fate in the 2024-25 campaign.