Alright, Knicks fans, buckle up! We’ve got some juicy updates on Mikal Bridges that you won’t want to miss.
Bridges’ Big Payday: What’s the Deal?
So, here’s the scoop: Mikal Bridges, our veteran forward, is about to hit the jackpot. Come October 1st, he’s eligible for a sweet $72.5 million extension over two years. But wait, there’s more! He could hold off until next offseason and snag a three-year, $112.9 million deal. And if he’s really patient, a source close to Yossi Gozlan says he might even get a four-year, $156 million contract in 2025. Talk about options!
The Trade That Shook Brooklyn
Remember when we snagged Bridges from the Nets? Yeah, that blockbuster trade cost us five first-round picks and a pick swap. Crazy, right? He’s got until the season kicks off to sign that two-year, $72.5 million extension. The deal he signed with the Suns back in 2021 doesn’t kick in until the 2026-27 season, so we’ve got some time. Right now, he’s set to earn $23.3 million in 2024-25 and $24.9 million in 2025-26. Not too shabby for the fourth-highest paid player on the team.
Mikal Bridges is eligible to sign a 4-Year, $156M contract next offseason, per @YossiGozlan.
โ KnicksMuse (@KnicksMuse)
Crunching the Numbers
Let’s talk cap space. According to Spotrac, OG Anunoby’s got a $36.63 million cap hit for 2024-25, taking up 26.06% of the league cap. Julius Randle follows with $28.93 million, and Jalen Brunson’s at $24.96 million. Bridges’ deal? It eats up about 16.57% of the salary cap. If he really wants to maximize his earnings, RealGM suggests waiting until 2026 to sign a five-year, $297 million contract at 30% of the NBA salary cap. In my opinion, that’s a long wait, but it could be worth it.
Bridges’ Stellar Season
Marc Stein says Bridges is expected to sign that two-year, $72.5 million extension with us. Evan Sidery from Forbes mentioned he’d “take a discount on his upcoming new long-term deal.” Gotta love a team player! Last season with the Nets, Bridges was on fire, averaging 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.0 steal per game. He shot 43.6% from the field, 37.2% from three, and 81.4% from the line. Those are some solid numbers!
Per Basketball-Reference, he finished 12th in 3-pointers (220) and 10th in 3-point attempts (592). He also ranked 18th in field goal attempts (1,294), 12th in field goals missed (730), and fourth in minutes played (2,854). Oh, and did I mention he played 83 games in a season? That’s a feat we haven’t seen since Josh Smith in 2014-15. Speaking of trades, did you catch that wild Curry rumor?
In Brooklyn’s 147-145 loss to the Hawks on Nov. 22, 2023, Bridges tied his career-high with 45 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, and two steals in 43 minutes. And let’s not forget his 36-point game against the Knicks on Jan. 23, 2024, where he nailed a career-high seven 3-pointers. The guy’s a beast!
So, what do you think, Knicks fans? Will Bridges hold out for the big bucks, or will he sign that extension sooner rather than later?
