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

[brackdan70]

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.

I am not sure another team would have paid that in the current climate. That said it’s worth it to keep a good team together.

[brackdan70]

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

He was great in the playoffs and playing every game for the last 4 years or whatever is awesome, but he isn’t a top 100 guy in the league. This contract overpays him a bit, but I think it’s worth it to keep the window open.

[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.

I am not sure another team would have paid that in the current climate. That said it’s worth it to keep a good team together.

Lots of teams would have tbh.

[brackdan70]

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.

I am not sure another team would have paid that in the current climate. That said it’s worth it to keep a good team together.

Lots of teams would have tbh.

I’ll disagree there.
The current CBA has depressed things a bit.
I think the contract is over market value, not terrible and I think it’s a move the Knicks had to make, but I don’t think there would have been similar offers from other teams.

[Billl]

Good for Mikal. Seems like an overpay though. Not a HUGE overpay, but a bit high. Not in a way that he'd be considered a bad contract, but potentially high enough it costs them some other talent down the line.

[gswhoops]

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

He was great in the playoffs and playing every game for the last 4 years or whatever is awesome, but he isn’t a top 100 guy in the league. This contract overpays him a bit, but I think it’s worth it to keep the window open.

C'mon now, let's not get crazy. Outside the top-100 means every team has 3-4 guys better than him.

[Scoot McGroot]

I am not sure another team would have paid that in the current climate. That said it’s worth it to keep a good team together.

Lots of teams would have tbh.

I’ll disagree there.
The current CBA has depressed things a bit.
I think the contract is over market value, not terrible and I think it’s a move the Knicks had to make, but I don’t think there would have been similar offers from other teams.

I think Bridges would have had a solid chance of being "the best free agent willing to switch teams", and as such, would have gotten overpaid. Like, I think he'd have gotten $160m or more pretty easily (so long as he doesn't crap the bed this year)?

$40m next season wouldn't even be 25% of the salary cap...

[brackdan70]

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

He was great in the playoffs and playing every game for the last 4 years or whatever is awesome, but he isn’t a top 100 guy in the league. This contract overpays him a bit, but I think it’s worth it to keep the window open.

C'mon now, let's not get crazy. Outside the top-100 means every team has 3-4 guys better than him.

That’s not what it means at all.
Ranked 220, 208, 312 respectively in VPM, Darko, and LEBRON. A negative BPM.

[cgf]

He was great in the playoffs and playing every game for the last 4 years or whatever is awesome, but he isn’t a top 100 guy in the league. This contract overpays him a bit, but I think it’s worth it to keep the window open.

C'mon now, let's not get crazy. Outside the top-100 means every team has 3-4 guys better than him.

That’s not what it means at all.
Ranked 220, 208, 312 respectively in VPM, Darko, and LEBRON. A negative BPM.

He had an unspectacular regular season while adjusting to a new team that was gelling on the fly and keeping things simple tactically, but if you think that's representative of his quality, then you missed the playoffs and years prior. Bridges is an excellent defender and 3rd option, who's become just lethal in the midrange.

[brackdan70]

C'mon now, let's not get crazy. Outside the top-100 means every team has 3-4 guys better than him.

That’s not what it means at all.
Ranked 220, 208, 312 respectively in VPM, Darko, and LEBRON. A negative BPM.

He had an unspectacular regular season while adjusting to a new team that was gelling on the fly and keeping things simple tactically, but if you think that's representative of his quality, then you missed the playoffs and years prior. Bridges is an excellent defender and 3rd option, who's become just lethal in the midrange.

He was great in the playoffs.
2021,22,23 he was much better than the last 2 years. Not very good in 2024 or 2025 though.

[cgf]

That’s not what it means at all.
Ranked 220, 208, 312 respectively in VPM, Darko, and LEBRON. A negative BPM.

He had an unspectacular regular season while adjusting to a new team that was gelling on the fly and keeping things simple tactically, but if you think that's representative of his quality, then you missed the playoffs and years prior. Bridges is an excellent defender and 3rd option, who's become just lethal in the midrange.

He was great in the playoffs.
2021,22,23 he was much better than the last 2 years. Not very good in 2024 or 2025 though.

In Brooklyn he was miscast as a top option. But for us, he was great when we needed him to be

[basketballwacko2]

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

Someone is gonna be paying Luxury Tax.

[cgf]

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

Someone is gonna be paying Luxury Tax.

Weren’t we already paying the tax? Pretty sure it’s the 2nd apron that is the concern for us, not the tax.

[daoneandonly]

Dont see an issue here. Brunson took less to get his boys paid, and Mikal plays both sides of the court