After Jalen Brunson agreed to a contract extension with the New York Knicks that leaves him with $113 million to play for, newly acquired swingman Mikal Bridges is reportedly in line for a similar deal.
NBA source Marc Stein reported Monday that, citing sources, Bridges is “expected to likely follow Brunson's lead and seek a team-friendly deal when it comes his turn to negotiate an extension.”
Brunson agreed to a four-year, $156.5 million contract extension on Friday. He had the chance to wait until next summer to sign a five-year, $269 million extension, but his choice to sign for less money gives New York more cap space as it continues to work to build a championship-contending roster.
The Knicks took a big step in that direction earlier this offseason when they acquired Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets. The deal reunited Bridges with his college teammates at Villanova, where he played alongside Brunson, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo. The team also re-signed OG Anunoby to a max contract, and the pair with Bridges form arguably the best defensive wing duo in the NBA.
Bridges will be eligible to sign a short-term contract extension with the Knicks starting Oct. 1. If he chooses to wait until after the 2024-25 season, he could sign a four-year deal with New York.
The Knicks have reached the Eastern Conference semifinals each of the past two seasons and showed some promise this year, but injuries to several key players slowed their momentum, so they will undoubtedly be motivated to go even further next year.
Brunson's contract extension and Bridges' impending deal will keep New York in championship contention for years to come.
