OCTOBER 18: The Suns have officially completed Bridges’ extension, the team announced today in a press release.
OCTOBER 17: The Suns have reached a deal to sign swingman Mikal Bridges to a four-year, $90MM rookie contract extension, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who says the deal will be fully guaranteed. Bridges’ agents at Excel Sports Management, Sam Goldfeder and Jordan Gertler, informed Woj of the news.
Bridges, the tenth overall pick in the 2018 draft out of Villanova (where he won NCAA titles in 2016 and 2018), proved to be a crucial two-way contributor on a Phoenix club that broke through for its first NBA Finals appearance in 28 years during the 2020/21 season.
The 6’6″ small forward enjoyed a career year in 2020/21, averaging 13.5 PPG, 4.3 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.1 SPG and 0.9 BPG for Phoenix, while appearing in all 72 games during the truncated season. Bridges posted an excellent shooting line of .543/.425/.840 and emerged as one of the league’s best young defenders.
Retaining Bridges, who still has All-Star upside, on a deal that will pay him $22.5MM annually through the 2025/26 season is a massive victory for Suns general manager James Jones.
Bridges’ teammate Deandre Ayton, Phoenix’s starting center selected in the same draft class out of Arizona, has yet to reach terms on his own rookie contract extension agreement with the club. The deadline for teams to reach rookie contract extensions is tomorrow at 5 p.m. CT.
Woj notes that the Suns are still having conversations about a possible extension for Ayton ahead of tomorrow’s deadline, in addition to newly-added reserve shooting guard Landry Shamet, the No. 26 selection in 2018 out of Wichita State.
“He is the player who buys into a culture as well as sets a culture,” Goldfelder said of his client.
“Mikal has worked tirelessly to bring winning basketball back to the Phoenix Suns,” Gertler said. “This is the culmination of his hard work.”
Still can’t believe sixers drafted him and traded him on draft night for Zaire Smith. Brett Brown going away gift to Philly.
If it makes you feel better, it’s all but guaranteed he would have been traded in the Jimmy butler or Tobias Harris deal
Since Smith wasn’t included in those deals, how exactly would it be all but guaranteed?
Smith was injured at the time, thats why he wasn’t included
Pretty sure they would have just added another pick.
We took Knox instead of him. Went for upside instead of sure thing. Knicks thought he was small for SF. And not enough handle for SG. Thibs was here he would of took him. He’s a solid 2way player. Solid pick for Suns. He was the man in the Big East.
I had Bridges top 5, but thought the knicks at 9 was his absolute floor. Thought cleveland should have taken him instead of Sexton as well. I still like Knox’s talent, and would like to see him get better opportunity in a rotation where he would fit, and be used correctly, but I actually think he may have somehow regressed in ways since entering the league, and might have to get that opportunity somewhere else, like maybe a Portland or Heat or some other team that needs help at the 4
Sixers traded his rights (as pick #10 in 2018) for pick #16 (2018), and Miami’s unprotected 1st in 2021 (turned out to be #18). Future unprotected 1st round picks can have a lot of value, and this one was the most important asset in the T.Harris trade. Good deal or bad, it was nothing that shouldn’t be believed.
I recall it being pretty bad though, because the Sixers picked a local guy that won two national titles starting for a local college, and apparently a nice guy even in the BigEast. He was steady, unlike Donte DiVencenzio, and clean, unlike Dante Cunningham (I like both).
Headlines… it was a stunner… Sixers both got lucky and did something smart and fan-friendly. Then the news that turned it around was sobering. They had youth already, and the Heat was 44-38 that year.
They needed the magic from Mikal, and connection to Jay Wright, if nothing else.
Good catch by Suns. Ayton would have required a max.
Thats a great contract for Phoenix.
4 years $90 million contract is fair for a small market
James Jones is really rocking it.
One of the most reasonable nbA deals signed all offseason.
It really is. Good money for Bridges and I think Phoenix saved themselves probably 2.5-5m a year on that contract by not letting him hit the market.
Is it just me or this seems like a big overpay for PHO?
I thought he would get around the 55 or 60/4, I mean he has some potential but seems more like a really good role player, can’t see him ever making the All-Star… just seems a lot of $ for a role player, albeit a very good one!
Also now they have to pay Ayton a lot more than that, so basically are in the max territory or not extension for him just now!
Can’t see like at all how this is a good piece of business for PHO!
I think you’re way off. Bridges is in year 4 and already one of the elite 3 and d guys in the league. Phoenix had to give him a contract like this or he would have gotten an offer sheet at least at this number probably higher. I actually think Phoenix did a good job getting him for 90 because he most likely would have gotten somewhere around 4/100 as an rfa. So if PHX wanted to keep him they saved themselves probably at least 10m
Pretty much right about what I had been saying the last year or so…really curious to see what happens with Ayton b/c I still stand by the numbers I mentioned, and I’m sure Phoenix mostly does as well, but now they’re in an interesting spot, which I previously mentioned…they’re approaching being mostly capped out, which gives Ayton leverage, and therefore may mean they need to pay him a lot more than he is worth
Nice, glad Phoenix was able to get it done. He came in NBA ready defensively and has worked really hard and has improved offensively each season. One of the best 3 and D players in the league now.
This is going to cause a lot of resentment for Ayton since the team gave Bridges an extension after refusing to give him the one he asked for.
Bridges is exponentially better than Ayton though
Bridges is great and definitely has All-Defense upside (he probably should have made second-team last year) but All-Star? I can’t see that ever happening, especially since he’s a fourth option at best in Phoenix.