Mike Breen Calls Mikal Bridges Knicks' 'Perfect Fit'
Mike Breen certainly believes that the New York Knicks got some "BANG!" for their buck.
Breen's duties as the primary voice of the Knicks for MSG Network certainly got more exciting this week, as the team reportedly traded for Brooklyn Nets star Mikal Bridges, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Breen lauded the deal on "Night Mode," the web series hosted by his former broadcasting colleague Mark Jackson.
"I think he's like a perfect fit for this team," Breen said (h/t New York Basketball). "He's such a terrific two-way players. There are so many positives. It's crazy that you have to give up five first-round picks to get him, but, for this team, they've been waiting to get the right guy to fit in, to help them take that next step and be a championship contender. I think he's exactly what they need."
Bridges will switch boroughs after a year-plus with the Nets, coming east as the headlining piece of the trade that sent Kevin Durant to the Phoenix Suns. The trade has made headlines for Bridges' prior collegiate endeavors, as he'll reunite with fellow former Villanova Wildcats Jalen Brunson, Donte DiVincenzo, and Josh Hart. Bridges won two national titles with Villanova alongside Brunson and DiVincenzo while Hart was with the trio during the first in 2016.
Breen, however, is more impressed by the conventional fit that Bridges presents, lauding his skill and durability, which was on grand display during the 2022-23 season: thanks to his trade from Phoenix to Brooklyn, Bridges became the first NBA players to appear in 83 games in a single season in nearly a decade (Josh Smith in 2014-15).
"He's a great defensive player, not a good defensive player. Obviously, he's shown he can score 20 or more, (but) you're probably not going to have to do that on a nightly basis because they have so much depth," Breen continued. "High-character, very available every night, the guy never misses a game. As we know, that's critical in the NBA. He's young and he can grow with these guys."
Breen is known to national audiences as the narrator of the NBA Finals, which have severely lacked metropolitan representation. With Bridges in tow, however, Breen appears to believe the Knicks could soon make their way back for the first time since 1999.
"They've got a team that can be a real problem for everybody for a number of years now," Breen said. "As long as they stay healthy."
GEOFF MAGLIOCCHETTI
Editor-In-Chief at All Knicks