What New York Knicks plan to do with Mikal Bridges’ contract amid hopes of 2026 NBA Finals run

New York Knicks’ intentions around Mikal Bridges are clear

Last summer, the Knicks paid a humongous price to the Brooklyn Nets to bring Bridges to New York.

It was a major haul for Bridges as the 28-year-old averaged 17.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game for the Knicks in 82 matchups.

But was it enough for the Knicks to think about bringing back Bridges beyond the 2025-26 NBA season?

“We hope to get something done. When you make the commitment to trade for a player like we did with Mikal, you do it with the intention of them being on the team for a long time,” a Knicks front office executive told Spotrac.

For context, Bridges is all set to make $24.9 million for the upcoming season, and he’s eligible to sign a four-year, $156.2 million deal next.

While the two sides haven’t reached an agreement, Spotrac’s report suggests that the franchise plans to address it sooner rather than later.

New York Knicks aim to reach the 2026 NBA Finals

The Knicks ended their previous campaign after being eliminated in the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals at the hands of the Indiana Pacers.

The humiliating defeat played a key role in coach Thibodeau’s firing. Evidently, the top brass expects better performance than that come playoff time.

“We’re close. We were already right there. Now, we think we’re even close. This is a great group and the additions we made will push us even further,” an anonymous Knicks coach revealed.

The East is wide open next season with teams like the Pacers, Boston Celtics, and Milwaukee Bucks essentially out of contention. So it makes sense that the Knicks plan to go all-in to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy.