The New York Knicks have inked Mikal Bridges to a massive extension, and while people can debate about the numbers and if it was too much, it was something that really had to be done. New York signed him to a four-year, $150 million contract extension, with a deal that may keep the reliable player with the Knicks through the 2029-30 season.
It’s great that Bridges won’t be walking anytime soon, because he could certainly be a force on another team if he were to go elsewhere. But, his big contract may result in the Knicks having to say farewell to one or more players.
The Knicks are prepping for their 2025-26 season, and those in the Big Apple are hoping it will be the year the team goes all the way to the championship. They came close the past few years but didn’t quite get there. Well, now, they might have to do it without a favorite player, due to financial constraints.
New York Knicks May Cut Ties With Player
In the NBA, there’s lots of talk about the Knicks and how the team will look in a while due to the Bridges extension. Sam Vecenie, making an appearance on The Game Theory Podcast, discussed the possibility of the Knicks having to say farewell to some playing, stating, “It does feel like the answer is that they [the Knicks] are probably going to have to move one of Bridges, Hart or Anunoby at some point, if they want to stay below the second apron.”
GettyJosh Hart #3 of the New York Knicks dribbles against Obi Toppin #1 of the Indiana Pacers during the third quarter in Game Five of the Eastern Conference Finals.
Of those three, the most likely to be cut is probably Josh Hart. In a feature published on Monday, Aug. 4, by Atticus O’Brien-Pappalardo of The Daily Knicks, O’Brien-Pappalardo states, “It feels unlikely that the Knicks would move OG Anunoby or Mikal Bridges unless a significant upgrade became available (insert Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Knicks rumor here…). Because of that, if a wing is to be moved, Hart appears to be the logical option.”
More Knicks Players Up for Extensions
Other Knicks stars are in line for contract extensions soon, too. “Bridges wasn’t the only one up for an extension,” O’Brien-Pappalardo notes. “The Knicks are going to have to extend Mitchell Robinson, who is eligible for a deal up to four years worth just over $81 million. Karl-Anthony Towns is eligible for an extension as well.”
The Knicks have neglected the second apron for a while now, but they’ll eventually have to deal with those expenses. “The starting unit is going to get expensive fast, but the Knicks’ front office knew that,” O’Brien-Pappalardo adds. “There is a chance that they viewed entering the second apron as unavoidable and will cross the bridge of getting out of it in a couple of years, similar to what we just saw with the Boston Celtics, who shed major salary this offseason after winning the 2024 title.”
So, the Knicks will have to make some difficult decisions in the future, but that’s expected. Right now, it seems as if they’re spending with the short term goal of getting to a championship, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
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