Of all the former Phoenix Suns players throughout the NBA today, few have a better approval rating with The Valley than Mikal Bridges. Fans were devastated when he was included in the package that netted them Kevin Durant - and if you whisper it quietly - there are some who would undo that trade if they could.
Bridges toiled away on the Nets for a couple of seasons, but this summer was reunited with his Villanova buddies (sorry Donte DiVincenzo...) as he landed with the New York Knicks. Now on a real contender that also went and got Karl-Anthony Towns, this represents Bridges' best chance to win a championship since making it to the 2021 NBA Finals with the Suns.
So why are the Knicks trying to change the form of his shot?
When Bridges played for the Suns, the main knock on his game was that - although he was a fantastic defender - his shooting form left a lot to be desired. Yet in five seasons in Phoenix, he managed to shoot 37.5 percent from deep on over four attempts per game. This unlocked the best version of the team he played on, with Bridges become their "3-and-D" specialist.
This is ironically what the Suns' first round pick from this summer also looks like he could be about to experience. Ryan Dunn being drafted as a wing stopper who didn't have a reliable shot, yet in a preseason win against the Denver Nuggets he went an impressive 6-of-11 from deep. There's a reason he's being compared to Bridges early.
Mikal Bridges says he’s been trying to fix his jump shot for 7 years, per @Krisplashed.
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) October 19, 2024
Bridges went 0-for-10 from three yesterday and is 2-for-19 in preseason.pic.twitter.com/IE1hgKNMgV
But if you look at the above video, it looks like Bridges has taken a massive step backwards with his shooting form since being traded to the Knicks. Although those shots went in, it is hard to imagine that form being effective in an actual basketball game. It looks like he's trying to scoop the ball into the net.
Bonus points here if you can also spot former Suns' point guard Cameron Payne at the bottom of the picture, with his own shooting form often coming in for criticism. Payne was one of the most divisive players the team have had in recent years - a limited floor general but somebody who did have a couple of nice playoff moments - and he will struggle for minutes in New York.
Mikal Bridges says he’s been trying to fix his jump shot for 7 years trying to get his form back to where it was at Villanova: “When I came out of college, I tweaked it a little bit. And then my 2nd year in the league, I had the hitch, and tried to build back from that.”
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) October 19, 2024
But as Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News pointed out, Bridges has already told the media in New York that he's trying to get back to that shooting stroke that he had in college. Early returns have not been good though, and although Bridges is a rival now, fans will still be sad to see a player they rooted for so much have such a weird development in how he shoots the ball.
But why did he feel the need to change it at all? When the Suns were genuine contenders it never hurt to have Bridges out there on the offensive end, although having Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton certainly helped. Only the Knicks have Towns, Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby, so there are similarities between the two rosters (even if Anunoby is most certainly not Booker).
Bridges started 298-of-365 regular season games in The Valley, managing 32.7 minutes and 14.7 points per game. Yet in the postseason - despite dropping to 13.1 points - he started all 39 games he appeared in and played 35 minutes a night. To say nothing of the elite defensive skills that helped elevate that group. Bridges wasn't broken, so is his shot trying to be fixed?