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One domino down, at least one more to go.
The Phoenix Suns and Mikal Bridges have agree to a contract extension that begins in 2022 and keeps Mikal with the Suns until 2026. Bridges will earn $90 million from 2022-2026.
On Friday, Mikal repeated “I just want to be here” several times in a post-practice interview with media.
“We’re going to do what’s best for me,” he said of his agents and family support. “We all know we want to be here. And it’s time. You know, I just sit there and just wait every day, and keep improving and don’t let it get to me. Just got to wait.”
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news the old fashioned way, with a Woj Bomb.
Phoenix Suns G/F Mikal Bridges has agreed to a four-year, $90 million rookie contract extension, his agents Sam Goldfeder and Jordan Gertler of @Excelbasketball tell ESPN. Deal is fully guaranteed.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 17, 2021
This has been a long time coming for Mikal and the Suns, who waited until the day before the contract extension deadline to come to terms with Bridges.
Bridges will earn less money than an older, less productive Aaron Gordon in Denver, who signed a 4 year, $94 million contract in July. In fact, the $22.5 million per year average is a good deal less than Bridges could have held out for, or could have gotten on the restricted free agent market next summer.
But Bridges had no intention of leaving the Suns, and made that known by accepting this deal today.
The $90 million price tag almost certainly gives the Suns more breathing room to finalize a Deandre Ayton extension by tomorrow night. Ayton stands to earn at least $172 million on a five-year extension, once he and the Suns agree to financial details like guaranteed portions and escalators.
“We want to be here. It’s plain and simple, man,” Bridges said of both he and Ayton. “We love this team. We love this organization and what’s it’s done for us, especially what its done for both of us. You know, I’d never take this for granted, man. They just turned me into a better person and player. So, obviously, we want to be here more than anything.”
Good on Mikal for staying long term, and good on the Suns for getting this done.
Now go get DA done.
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