Knicks Wing Urged Not to Pull a Jalen Brunson Stunt

Former Phoenix Suns executive and ESPN analyst Amin Elhassan urged New York Knicks wing Mikal Bridges not to pull the same stunt Jalen Brunson did this offseason — give the team a hometown discount — in light of OG Anunoby getting the richest deal in franchise history.

As Elhassan called Anunoby’s five-year, $212.5 million fully guaranteed contract as one of the worst deals in the NBA, the former exec made a passionate plea to Bridges to get every penny he could get in his looming extension.

“Understand that the less that they are taking is so this guy [Anunoby] gets paid $42 million a year … which is why, Mikal Bridges, I tell you, do not give these people discounts; it’s their job to figure it out,” Elhassan said on Sirius XM radio. “It’s not your job to clean up their mess.”

After Brunson signed a team-friendly four-year, $156.5 million contract extension — $113 million less guaranteed than he is eligible to sign for a year from now — the expectation is Bridges would also do the same, according to Substack’s NBA insider Marc Stein.

Mika Bridges Extension Situation

Bridges is eligible for a shorter and less attractive deal as soon as October 1 or a four-year extension if he waits until after the season.

Sam Quinn of CBS Sports reported Bridges could tuck in an additional two-year, $61.2 million deal to his current contract. Bridges has two years left on his four-year, $90 million rookie extension deal he signed with the Phoenix Suns in 2021.

If Bridges wait until next offseason, he would be eligible to sign a standard veteran extension, which would allow him to get a 40% salary increase in the first year of the new contract, followed by 8% annual raises.

Without extension this offseason or during the season, Bridges would enter the summer on the final year of his current contract. He could then sign a four-year, $156 million extension like Brunson did this summer.

Jalen Brunson Sums up Who What Mikal Bridges Adds to Knicks

Brunson dropped a gem of an anecdote about Bridges during the Fanatics Fest NYC in August.

“That man got off the plane from London last night (August 16). And then he was in the gym this morning (August 17), bright early,” Brunson revealed. “That’s everything you should know about him.”

The packed crowd at The Theatre in Jacob Javits Convention Center roared in approval.

While Brunson and Bridges are excited to be reunited after they teamed up at Villanova in college, there is immense pressure to deliver this coming season after what the Knicks gave up to get him across the Brooklyn Bridge from the Nets.

The Knicks traded four unprotected and one top-four protected pick for Bridges, who has never been an All-Star in his first six seasons in the league. But for Brunson, that is so worth it.

“He just fits the puzzle perfectly,” Brunson said, like he just can do whatever you ask of him and then more. And that’s kind of a person he is.”

Bridges shared that sentiment during his introductory press conference on July 9.

“I think I fit in really well,” Bridges told reporters.

Alder Almo is a basketball journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 15 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo