Mikal Bridges Right to Wait on Knicks Contract Extension Amid NBA Rumors

ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported on the Hoop Collective podcast (12:00 mark) that Mikal Bridges will not seek to extend his contract with the New York Knicks until the 2025 offseason.

There are timing and financial reasons for waiting, including a six-month rule that only permits the 28-year-old to extend his deal for two years within the first six months of the trade that sent him from Brooklyn to the Knicks and limitations on any raise he may receive.

Beyond that, though, there is another significant reason for waiting.

There is no such thing as an exact science for building a star-studded, title-contending superteam.

For every mid-1990s Chicago Bulls team, there is a Houston Rockets team that brought together Charles Barkley, Clyde Drexler and Hakeem Olajuwon and failed to sniff a title.

The 2008 Boston Celtics paired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen with Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo in a championship-winning combination, while the 2021-22 Brooklyn Nets—featuring Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving—never jelled and failed to make it past the second round of the playoffs.

The Knicks are hoping their newly assembled roster, featuring Bridges, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart, Mitchell Robinson, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns (upon completion of a trade with Minnesota) is more 2011-12 Miami Heat and less 2012-13 Lakers.

But what if the on-court chemistry is not as expected?

Brunson, Bridges and Hart previously played together at Villanova, winning the NCAA title in 2016. Eight years is a long time, though, and they are not playing in the same system or under the same coach they did in college.

Add in the unknown element of Towns and how well he fits what the team wants to do, and there is plenty of reason for any player not to go all-in on committing his future to the organization for the long term.

By not extending his deal, Bridges can play through the upcoming season, see how well he and his teammates vibe on the court and then decide if he thinks it is the right fit for him moving forward.

If so, he can extend his deal and even follow Brunson by inking a team-friendly deal that lets the organization bring in any necessary pieces to ensure long-term feasibility and competitiveness in a top-heavy Eastern Conference.

If not, Bridges has a further year left on his current deal and can become a free agent in the 2026 offseason.