According to some league executives, Mikal Bridges could have potentially signed for approximately $200 million if he decided to wait until the 2026 offseason to test the open market. Bridges instead signed a four-year, $150 million extension with the Knicks on Thursday, which was slightly below the max he could have extended for currently of $156 million.
The 2026 free agency class is expected to be short on big name players despite an anticipated deep pool of teams with cap space.
Bridges will make $24.9 million during the 2025-26 season before his four-year extension begins. Bridges could have also signed for five seasons instead of four had he waited for free agency.
New York teammate OG Anunoby signed a five-year, $212.5 million extension during the 2024 offseason with the threat of the open market looming.
In 2024, Jalen Brunson also signed a four-year, $156.5 million contract extension that begins with the 2025-26 season
