News of Antetokounmpo likely staying put presumably played a role in the Knicks deciding to lock up forward Mikal Bridges to a four-year, $150 million contract on Thursday that includes a player option for the 2029-30 season plus a trade kicker. Bridges can't be traded for six months after the signing extension.

The New York Knicks locked down small forward Mikal Bridges to a hefty four-year, $150 million contract extension Thursday, which included a player option for the 2029-30 NBA season. However, it seems that the Knicks wanted to assure that one other piece of business was truly off the table before giving Bridges his extension.