Bridges opened up at media day about losing a close friend and a big part of the title team to Boston.
The Knicks held media day on Monday as the defending NBA champions, but a lot of the talk in the room kept coming back to a player who now plays for the Boston Celtics.
Center Mitchell Robinson spent all eight of his NBA seasons in New York after the team picked him in the second round of the 2018 draft, and forward Mikal Bridges did not try to hide how much the locker room will feel his absence.
Bridges Speaks on Losing Robinson
Bridges was asked about Robinson leaving and the team adding center Andre Drummond, and he kept his answer short and warm in a clip shared by SNY on Monday.
"I think we're just going to miss Mitch. That's our guy, one of my good friends. We all love Mitch. We're going to miss him, but bringing in Drum helps," Bridges said.
Bridges was far from the only one who felt that way.
Guard Jalen Brunson said the split was tough on him but that he was happy for Robinson, and forward OG Anunoby said everyone was sad to see him go.
Center Karl-Anthony Towns also admitted he was surprised to see Robinson leave, since he thought a deal would get done to keep him in New York.
Robinson agreed to a three-year, $47.4 million deal with Boston on July 1, and he officially signed it on July 6.
According to ESPN, his exit was expected after chairman James Dolan said he would not let the team go into the second apron of the luxury tax.
What the Knicks Lose on the Glass
Robinson mostly came off the bench behind Towns last season and played in 60 games, averaging 5.7 points and 8.8 rebounds in 19.6 minutes a night.
His best skill was chasing down missed shots, and his 4.2 offensive rebounds per game gave New York a lot of extra chances.
That is hard to replace for a team that beat the San Antonio Spurs in five games to win the 2026 title.
The Knicks will lean on Drummond, who signed a one-year deal, and head coach Mike Brown said Drummond looked quicker and more explosive in the gym than he expected.
Why Bridges Is Right to Worry
Bridges is right that the Knicks will miss Robinson, and not only because of the rebounds.
ESPN called him the longest-tenured Knick when he left, and the way Bridges talked about him as one of his good friends shows how close this group became during the title run.
The good news is that Robinson is the only big piece of the championship core who is gone.
Brunson, Towns, Bridges, Anunoby and the rest of the main group are back.
If Drummond can give the Knicks even most of what Robinson gave them, there is no reason this team cannot stay near the top of the East.
The Knicks also came in second in one set of preseason power rankings behind the Spurs.
The Knicks open the season at home against the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, Oct. 20, and then visit Boston on Friday, Oct. 23, so the reunion comes in just the second game.
The two teams meet four times this season, and Robinson returns to Madison Square Garden on March 14.
