The business of basketball takes shape the most in the NBA offseason. Big moves are being made on a daily basis. The Knicks joined this newsworthy summer with their latest play. They re-signed Mikal Bridges to a four-year extension. But why did it take so long? Well, the main reason for that is Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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When the 2025 NBA playoff run ended for the Milwaukee Bucks, all eyes were on Giannis. Rumors had surfaced that the Greek Freak was interested in hearing trade offers for the first time since he joined the league. Several teams made it known that they had an interest.
One of those teams was New York. In fact, the Mecca of the NBA had such a desire to bring the 30-year-old superstar to their squad that they were hesitant to give Bridges his extension until they got confirmation. Well, they received that today.
Mikal’s four-year extension was for $150 million. But a report from Hoops Wire revealed that the Knicks only cemented the deal once they got intel that Giannis was no longer interested in leaving Milwaukee. That’s good news for Bridges since he got paid, yet even better news if you’re a Bucks fan.
The Knicks got intel that Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t request a trade before they signed Mikal Bridges to an extension, per @wirehoops
(https://t.co/MeUlPZOLWy) pic.twitter.com/hNyytKRPa1
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) August 1, 2025
The intel is a clear sign that Antetokounmpo and the Bucks front office are on much better terms than back in the postseason. Not only that. The nine-time All-Star is looking to bring another chip back to the Midwest after three first-round exits.
The Bucks organization is also pretty confident that Giannis was never going anywhere. “We have no indication that anything is really changing as far as our relationship with the player we think is the best in the world,” stated a Bucks front office executive to Keith Smith of Spotrac. That comment doesn’t get said at all if there’s any signal of the Greek Freak leaving.
As for the Knicks, it’s a solid move to bring back Bridges. The 28-year-old star had a solid outing for New York this season, including two MASSIVE moments in their Eastern Conference semifinals showdown against the Celtics.
In Game 1 and Game 2 of that series, Mikal got the game-winning steal to seal a massive Knicks comeback. And those steals weren’t against just anybody. In Game 1, he stripped 2024 Finals MVP Jaylen Brown. In Game 2? He managed a steal on Jayson Tatum.
New York ended up hitting a brick wall in the Eastern Conference Finals, which was the Indiana Pacers, a team that eventually fell short in the championship series against OKC.
But no one anticipated the Knicks going as far as they did. Mikal re-signing is proof that new head coach Mike Brown is confident in what last year’s squad did. Now, he’s just going to add his own finishing touch to them.
