Bridges Takes Less to Stay: Knicks Extend Mikal Bridges for $150 Million

Mikal Bridges signed a multi-year extension with the New York Knicks worth $150 million on Tuesday at the team's training facility, a deal that is roughly $6 million below the NBA maximum for a player of his tenure. The 29-year-old wing framed the move as a measured choice that prioritizes long-term team-building and financial flexibility over maximizing immediate earnings.

Described by team officials as a multi-year extension, the agreement preserves financial flexibility for the Knicks while ensuring Bridges remains a core piece of the roster. Bridges has said that the added money would not drastically alter his life approach, emphasizing a willingness to trade a larger paycheck for continued stability and a favorable cap position for the franchise.

The contract underscores Bridges’ status as a central piece for New York as the franchise seeks to balance continuity with future flexibility. By taking less than the maximum, he and the Knicks aim to keep room under the salary cap for potential additions and extensions in coming seasons without sacrificing the quality of the current core.

Bridges, 29, has emerged as a two-way contributor who has become a focal point of the team’s long-term plans. The decision reflects a broader, pragmatic approach among players to weigh immediate earnings against the opportunity to build a competitive environment over several seasons. For the Knicks, the deal preserves a pathway to sustain a competitive window while managing the payroll’s constraints in a crowded market for talent.