After Jalen Brunson agreed to a contract extension with the New York Knicks that left $113 million on the table, newly acquired swingman Mikal Bridges reportedly could do something similar.
NBA insider Marc Stein reported on Monday that sources said there’s an “expectation” that Bridges “is likely to follow Brunson’s lead and sign a team-friendly deal of his own when it’s his turn to negotiate an extension.”
Brunson agreed to a four-year, $156.5 million contract extension on Friday. He would have had the chance to sign a five-year, $269 million extension if he waited until next summer, but his choice to sign for less money gives New York more cap space to work with as it continues to try to build a roster capable of competing for a championship.
The Knicks made a major step in that direction by acquiring Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets earlier this offseason. Bridges starred at Villanova alongside Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, so the deal reunited him with his college teammates. The team also re-signed OG Anunoby to a max contract, and the pairing with Bridges creates arguably the best defensive wing combination in the NBA.
Bridges is eligible to sign a short-term extension with the Knicks starting on Oct. 1. He can sign a four-year deal with New York if he chooses to wait until after the 2024-25 season.
The Knicks have made it to the Eastern Conference semifinals in each of the last two seasons. Their promising run this year was derailed by a slew of injuries to multiple key players, so they are surely motivated to make a deeper run next year.
Brunson’s extension and Bridges’ impending deal will allow New York to remain in title contention for years to come.