The New York Knicks and Mikal Bridges agreed to a four-year, $150 million extension, a move that drew various reactions from fans around the league. No, it's not the overpay that it's been made out to be. Say what you want about the decision, but it was a calculated move by the front office.
James L. Edwards III of The Athletic answered questions from fans in his recent mailbag, one of which pertained to Bridges' extension and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Edwards responded that the Knicks are monitoring Antetokounmpo's situation "very closely," and that he doesn't think it's coincidental that a Bridges extension happened before August 6 (subscription required).
Players who sign extensions aren't eligible to be traded for six months, so Bridges is eligible to be traded before the February deadline. As Edwards noted, that doesn't mean a trade will happen, but it gives the Knicks flexibility in case Giannis finally gets fed up with Milwaukee enough to ask out.
Mikal Bridges will be eligible to be traded before February deadline
New York was star hunting for years before sending a slew of first-round picks to Brooklyn for Bridges last summer. The Knicks sent a first-round pick to the Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns a few months later.
Edwards wrote that people around the league believe New York is still star-hunting. New York made it to the Eastern Conference finals last season, which was a win in itself considering its ECF drought, but in the grand scheme of things, it wasn't enough. The Knicks are after a championship, which was cited as a reason why they let go of Tom Thibodeau.
The organization believed that Bridges was the perfect role player for the roster. His debut season in New York didn't go as planned, but he was instrumental in the team knocking off the Celtics in the second round of the playoffs.
You can't harshly judge Bridges from one season with a new team, but if his second season is as much of a roller coaster as the first, maybe the Knicks will look to trade him before the deadline. It's impossible to predict who will be available, but if Giannis is, expect New York to be one of many teams all over that situation.
The Knicks were well aware of what it meant to sign Bridges to an extension before August 6, hence why one happened in the days leading up to that important date. It's better to be prepared and expect the unexpected in the chaotic world of the NBA.