A new report claims that Jalen Brunson may not be the only New York Knicks star who inks a team-friendly extension to improve the team’s chances of ending the organization’s 41-year title drought.
The Knicks have made headlines several times over the last couple of weeks as the front office looks to build upon the strong showing the team had in 2023-24. However, Friday delivered some surprising and very beneficial news.
After weeks of rumor and speculation, it was reported that top star Jalen Brunson had come to terms on a four-year contract extension. The move was notable because by accepting a max extension now, he bypassed well over $100 million more in an extension he would have been eligible for next year. It also helped the organization maintain some wiggle room to improve the roster further.
- Mikal Bridges stats (2023-24): 19.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.0 SPG, 37% 3PT
Well, it seems that Jalen Brunson may have set a trend that another key player on the team may soon follow. On Friday night, Forbes NBA reporter Evan Sidery claimed that around the organization “the strong expectation is Mikal Bridges will also take a discount on his upcoming new long-term deal with the Knicks.”
Bridges will be eligible for the same four-year, $156 million deal his Villanova teammate signed this week. Which also means signing it would see him passing on a bigger extension in the summer of 2026. The team will have some solid cap space next summer with Julius Randle potentially coming off the books after this season.