[Shams] Mikal Bridges extends, 4 years/$150M

[gswhoops]

BREAKING: New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges has agreed to a four-year, $150 million contract extension with the franchise, agents Sam Goldfeder and Jordan Gertler of Excel Sports Management tell ESPN. The new deal includes a player option for 2029-30 and a trade kicker.

https://www.espn.com/contributor/shams-charania/98480c7e0845b

[HornetJail]

i mean, not like the Knicks could afford to let him walk after trading all those picks, and I'm sure Mikal's agents reminded them of it every damn day until the deal got done

That's a lot of money tied up in that starting five

[gswhoops]

i mean, not like the Knicks could afford to let him walk after trading all those picks, and I'm sure Mikal's agents reminded them of it every damn day until the deal got done

That's a lot of money tied up in that starting five

Especially after Brunson took less so they could keep the NovaKnicks together

[MasterIchiro]

Are the Knicks going to secure Mitchell Robinson longterm before his contract expires or would his next contract take them above the 2nd apron, given the raise to Mikal and the cost of the starting 5? Robinson will be looking for starter money.

[One_and_Done]

It's market value in the sense another team would have paid it. Not sure it's great value in an objective sense, but not like the Knicks had a choice.

[Laimbeer]

At the end of the day, he's a role player. A damn good one, but still. Who are all the other teams ready to pay him this money? They should have negotiated harder.

[jayjaysee]

Yeah, I think Bridges would have ended up being the big fish in little pond next summer.

So good for NY to get the deal done early.

Always reminds me that Brunson could be making like 20 mil a year in Dallas for another 2-3 seasons.

[Texas Chuck]

So he took slightly less than the max he could take and now the Knicks have him for the next 4(5) years. He should be a good player throughout that time and they didn't have to risk free agency. Clear win for the Knicks independent of what they paid to get him.

Good for him to secure the bag.

Win/win

[tester551]

I don't think it's a bad contract.

Bridges is an impactful 2-way player. Next season he'll be ~45-50th highest paid player in the league. That feels about right IMO. That's right there with what Bane, Sengun, and Brunson are making.

I'd much rather have Bridges on my team making $37M/yr than any of these guys (on their current contracts):
+ Grant
+ Ingram
+ MPJ
+ Lauri
+ Trae Young
+ Siakam
+ LaVine
+ PG13
+ KAT

[taikibansei]

Are the Knicks going to secure Mitchell Robinson longterm before his contract expires or would his next contract take them above the 2nd apron, given the raise to Mikal and the cost of the starting 5? Robinson will be looking for starter money.

I personally hope that we can trade Mitch.

But yeah, I was hoping for a steeper discount. Mikal is a good player, not a great one...and that's a lot of money. Still, fingers crossed that management has a plan to manage all these salaries moving forward.

[cgf]

Nice to get this out of the way. We saw last spring what a force OG & Mikal can be in the playoffs.

[NYG]

Nice to get this out of the way. We saw last spring what a force OG & Mikal can be in the playoffs.

Yeah we need the Mikal/OG combo just as much Brunson IMO.

[Godaddycurse]

is Towns the odd man out?

[taikibansei]

is Towns the odd man out?

Hope not. He was amazing for us last season.

[tmorgan]

I didn’t think this is ridiculous or anything (Booker got the same money for adding *2* years, which is insanity), but it still seems like a lot for his role on the team. It’s nice having a guy that can do more if needed (which Bridges has shown), but it’s still a lot of money for your 3rd/4th option on offense. Further, Bridges’ D on a season-long basis has regressed, though I get that you’re paying for what he can do at higher effort levels in the playoffs.

I’d give it a B-, while understanding it was necessary.

[cgf]

I didn’t think this is ridiculous or anything (Booker got the same money for adding *2* years, which is insanity), but it still seems like a lot for his role on the team. It’s nice having a guy that can do more if needed (which Bridges has shown), but it’s still a lot of money for your 3rd/4th option on offense. Further, Bridges’ D on a season-long basis has regressed, though I get that you’re paying for what he can do at higher effort levels in the playoffs.

I’d give it a B-, while understanding it was necessary.

Mikal’s defensive metrics weren’t great, but some of that was the over simplified schemes we ran until the playoffs, some of that was pacing himself for the crazy minutes, some of that was just settling with a new team, and some of that was unlocking a new level of physicality in that first round war.

[babyjax13]

I think the deal is fine? Would have liked it more at 140/4 but this is pretty inoffensive.

[Ball4life32]

I don't think it's a bad contract.

Bridges is an impactful 2-way player. Next season he'll be ~45-50th highest paid player in the league. That feels about right IMO. That's right there with what Bane, Sengun, and Brunson are making.

I'd much rather have Bridges on my team making $37M/yr than any of these guys (on their current contracts):
+ Grant
+ Ingram
+ MPJ
+ Lauri
+ Trae Young
+ Siakam
+ LaVine
+ PG13
+ KAT

Trae the youngest guy and only PG listed. Odd. Hawks would much rather have Trae at least and he only has 1-2 yrs left on his contract anyway.

[Crazy-Canuck]

I don't think it's a bad contract.

Bridges is an impactful 2-way player. Next season he'll be ~45-50th highest paid player in the league. That feels about right IMO. That's right there with what Bane, Sengun, and Brunson are making.

I'd much rather have Bridges on my team making $37M/yr than any of these guys (on their current contracts):
+ Grant
+ Ingram
+ MPJ
+ Lauri
+ Trae Young
+ Siakam
+ LaVine
+ PG13
+ KAT

That's not saying much. That's essentially ( not all) a list of the worst contracts in the league

[Mavrelous]

They have 15M below the 2nd Apron next year, they'll most likely fit MitchRob and 2 2nd rd picks under the 2nd Apron + vet min.