Mikal Bridges Inks 4-Year Extension With Suns

Mikal Bridges in 2018
Mikal Bridges in 2018. Photo by Duncan Williams/Csm/Shutterstock (9454178y)

The Phoenix Suns now have at least one member of their 2018 draft class under a long-term contract. According to multiple reports, the Suns agreed to a rookie extension with forward Mikal Bridges that will keep him with the franchise through the 2025-26 season.

Bridges’ representatives Sam Goldfeder and Jordan Gertler told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski that the deal is worth $90 million and comes with a $22.5 million annual salary. The talks about the extension reportedly wrapped up on Sunday night.

“Mikal has worked tirelessly to bring winning basketball back to the Phoenix Suns,” Gertler said. “This is the culmination of his hard work.”

Bridges earned the extension by having a breakthrough 2020-21 season that saw him start all of the Suns’ games and averaged career-highs across the board. He finished the regular part of the campaign with 13.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game while also impressing in the postseason and helping Phoenix reach the NBA Finals.

Mikal Bridges was originally drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the tenth overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. He was traded to the Suns on the draft night in exchange for 16th pick Zhaire Smith and a future first-rounder. It’s safe to say that Phoenix won this trade, considering that Smith only played 13 games for the 76ers and is out of the league at the moment.