Day: September 29, 2024

While Mikal Bridges becomes eligible to sign a two-year, $72.5 million extension with the New York Knicks on October 1st and there was initially some level of expectation he would sign it, ESPN’s Bobby Marks reports that the current intel is

“The indication I’ve gotten just from talking to people is that there is not going to be an extension,” said Marks on the Hoop Collective Podcast. “That he will wait until next year to look at what the extension… because he’s limited as far as the six-month rule as far as what he can extend for. Next year, he can extend for four years. It just gives him more flexibility. That could certainly change by October 21st. Maybe this trade does change that thinking. This was talking to people before this [Karl-Anthony Towns] trade happened.”

Because Bridges’ four-year, $90.9 million extension signed with the Phoenix Suns in 2021 contains no options, his extension cannot begin until the 26-27 season. Bridges is represented by agents Jordan Gertler and Sam Goldfeder. The Knicks acquired Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets in June.

The Phoenix Suns signed guard David Stockton to an Exhibit 10 contract. Stockton is expected to join the Valley Suns of the G League following the preseason.

The G League Suns recently acquired Stockton’s Returning Player rights in a trade with the Indiana Mad Ants. Stockton played briefly for G League Ignite last season. Most of his action was in Puerto Rico, where the 33-yeard old guard averaged 17.9 points, 5.9 assists and 1.3 steals per game.

When last season ended, the Utah Jazz were prepared to go “big game hunting” this offseason per CEO Danny Ainge. Instead, Utah ended up using most of their cap space to renegotiate-and-extend Lauri Markkanen and to sign a handful of veteran role players.

“You guys have seen how things evolve in an offseason,” Jazz GM Justin Zanik said. “In this organization, we are extremely aggressive with pursuing any and all means necessary to make this a championship-caliber roster. When those opportunities come up, we’re ready for it. There weren’t any.

“And so to sit there and not do anything, we decided that our plan was to completely throw our focus into our young guys and the best player on our roster in Lauri Markkanen.”

Utah is excited to build around their young players this season and beyond.

“I think what’s different this year is that we’re starting to build a really good depth base. They just happen to be really young. So instead of having three guys that are rookies, we have seven guys now under the age of 23,” Zanik said. “Our growth is going to come from developing our talent base so that we can win more games now and in the future. That doesn’t happen overnight – but what’s important about development is playing.”