According to Marc Stein, the New York Knicks and Mikal Bridges will pause contract talks until the end of this upcoming season.

Bridges will be eligible for a four-year, $157 million extension next offseason; for this offseason/preseason, he was eligible to sign a two-year, $72.5 million extension that started on October 1st. However, multiple reports indicate he is not interested in it.

The 28-year-old is waiting until next offseason for more flexibility of years that puts him in a better position to negotiate a long-term contract. It is also due to the league’s six-month rule, where players are limited to four total years under contract during the first six months after a trade.

In 2026-27, Bridges will be an unrestricted free agent. He will be 30 years of age by that time. He’ll be making $23.3 million this season and then $24.9 million the following season.

According to multiple reports, highlighted by Marc Stein, Mikal Bridges becomes eligible to sign a two-year, $72.5 million extension with the New York Knicks on October 1st.

The 3-and-D wing currently has two options: he can sign this contract on the first or wait until next season to be paid $112.9 million over three seasons.

Per Stein, he expects the 28-year-old to sign the $72.5 million extension with New York. However, if Bridges wanted to make more money, he could wait till the 2026 season to be eligible to sign a five-year, $297 million contract.

With all these options on the floor (pun intended), every sign points towards him signing the two-year extension.

Bridges has until the start of the season to sign this extension.

Rockets Offered Jalen Green To Nets For Mikal Bridges

According to Marc Stein, it’s believed the Houston Rockets offered not only the first-round picks but also throwing in Jalen Green. Jake Fischer and others reported the package to contain at least four first-rounders; now Stein says Green may have been involved.

The Brooklyn Nets have no interest in this type of deal as they believe Bridges is way more valuable than those picks and players; it has been reported the team believes that keeping Bridges will create a buzz of stars wanting to play for their organization.

Mikal Bridges is the only untouchable player on the Brooklyn Nets. He is under contract till 2026.