Mad Dog Russo believes that the Mikal Bridges move will not make the Knicks champions: "This is not Howard Komives for Dave DeBusschere"

The New York Knicks made their first big deal of the summer when they acquired Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday. Knicks fans were excited and optimistic about Bridges' addition to the Big Apple squad that finished with 50 wins and the no.2 seed in the Eastern Conference last season.

However, ESPN's Chris Russo doesn't think that adding Bridges will put the Knicks in the category of serious title contenders.

"This is not Howard Komives for Dave DeBusschere," said Russo on ESPN's First Take. "Will you please look it up in the mid-60s? I mean, he is not the missing piece to win a championship. Does he make the Knicks marginally better? Absolutely. Are the Knicks now a team that could win 53 or 54 games? Absolutely. Does Thibodeau have a problem with the Villanova guys to coach? No way."

Is Mikal Knicks missing piece?

The Knicks were already a good team when they made the 1968 trade to acquire Dave DeBusschere from the Pistons for Howard Komives and Walt Bellamy. By dealing Bellamy, coach Red Holzman moved Willis Reed to center and put DeBusschere and Bill Bradley with him in the frontcourt.

Although that move made New York a "smaller" team, the Knicks became quicker and better on the defensive end. They lost to the Boston Celtics in the Conference Finals during their first season together in 1968-69. Still, they ended up winning the 1970 and 1973.

That said, Russo doesn't think Bridges brings the DeBusschere effect to the Big Apple.

"But take it easy, Steve," Mad Dog told Stephen A. Smith. "They've gotten marginally better. He's a nice player. But you know, listen. When the Nets got him from Phoenix, he was supposed to be a lynchpin for their next decent Nets team and they couldn't even make the playoffs."

Stephen A. was hyped after the trade

Russo aimed his commentary at Stephen A. because Smith was very hyped on Tuesday night after Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news on 'X.' Although SAS admitted the Knicks still needed to add another piece, he was excited because getting Mikal was the right step in their journey to the NBA title.

"Chemistry matters, reliability matters, consistency matters, defense matters," said an excited Smith. "He's young, he's energetic, he's seasoned, he defends, and he fits right into the culture of the New York Knicks, and that's all I ask."

There's no question that Bridges has the two-way ability that DeBusschere brought to the Knicks 56 years ago. And while Mad Dog may be right that he isn't the final piece of the current Knicks' championship puzzle, he's one step closer to getting there.

Leon Rose has assembled a great team in New York. You have to think he still has more moves under his sleeve.

Related: "Y'all was tampering" - Bam Adebayo accuses Knicks stars after Mikal Bridges joins his fellow Wildcats in New York