New York Knicks guard Mikal Bridges has yet to make an All-Star team in his career, but he has gotten the star treatment this offseason.

After being acquired in a blockbuster deal for five first-round picks, Bridges has established himself as one of the best players in the NBA.

CBS Sports writer Jasmyn Wimbish believes Bridges may be the best role player in the NBA.

“Bridges has now been traded for Kevin Durant and, over the summer, was dealt to the Knicks for five first-round picks. That’s the kind of deal you make for franchise-altering talent, and while you may be thinking Bridges isn’t that, he’s among the most valuable role players a championship-contending team can have. The price for Bridges has been so high because of his elite, versatile defense, matched with 3-point shooting that teeters on automatic. He thrives with or without the ball in his hands, can guard your favorite team’s best perimeter player and will make you pay if you leave him open on the 3-point line,” Wimbish writes.

Bridges will form a dastardly defensive duo with OG Anunoby, but the difference between the two is that the former is more versatile on offense.

When he was playing with the Nets, Bridges had more offensive responsibility than anyone else on the floor. That will change with the Knicks as he’s expected to defer to either Jalen Brunson or Julius Randle to be the primary creator on the offensive end.

His decrease of offensive responsibilities will allow Bridges to give more effort on the defensive end, which subscribes to head coach Tom Thibodeau’s style of play.

If Thibodeau can help unlock a new level of defense for Bridges, the Knicks will improve and either close the gap on the Boston Celtics or overtake them entirely in the Eastern Conference.

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