When New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson left $113 million on the table after agreeing to a four-year contract extension, the NBA world was pretty darn shocked.
Sure, Brunson is still earning $156.5 million on his new contract. But leaving that much on the table likely didn’t sit right with some players and the union.
As for the Knicks, this could lead to a trickle-down effect. According to NBA insider Marc Stein, newly-acquired wing Mikal Bridges could follow Brunson’s lead and take a smaller deal when he negotiates an extension with New York.
Bridges, 27, was acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in a blockbuster trade earlier this summer. The deal included New York giving up four unprotected first-round picks and other draft assets.
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Mikal Bridges contract and impact on the New York Knicks
Bridges is currently playing under a four-year, $90.9 million contract that runs through the 2025-26 season. He’s currently eligible for an extension that would yield the star forward a huge raise.
This past season with Brooklyn saw Bridges average 19.6 points to go with 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists on 44% shooting from the field.
Obviously, he’s a big component to New York’s success moving forward. Taking less cash would only help the team to continue building out a championship roster after earning a trip to the Eastern Conference Semifinals last season.
