Bridges, a standout player for the Knicks this season, was pivotal to their success. His future decisions are reportedly integral to the Knicks’ interest in pursuing Durant. With a strong season under their belt, the Knicks are keen to strategically assemble a roster aimed at securing an NBA championship next season.

Following the Suns‘ playoff exit, speculation regarding Durant’s departure intensified. Reports have become more concrete, notably from Evan Sidery of Forbes, who suggests that Bridges could negotiate a contract extension with the Knicks.

“Mikal Bridges becomes eligible for a four-year, $156 million extension this offseason. Unless Bridges agrees to a discount, the Knicks might consider trading him for a star player,” Sidery reported on his X account. Bridges could potentially join another team if he seeks to extend his contract at that price point.

How Bridges’ contract extension could pave the way for Durant

According to Sidery, the Knicks have a potential path to acquire Durant, contingent on Mikal Bridges opting to extend his contract without taking a salary discount. Securing a top-tier talent remains a primary objective for New York, and the team could contemplate a strategy involving trading Bridges to bring Durant into the fold.

“A potential re-trade of Bridges, along with the necessary salaries, to the Suns for Kevin Durant is an idea being floated,” Sidery noted on his X account. Fans are eagerly awaiting further developments on this potential trade scenario, envisioning Durant donning a Knicks jersey.

Rumors swirl around Durant’s next destination

With speculation mounting about Durant’s departure from Phoenix, there are three prominent suitors, aside from the Knicks. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Golden State Warriors represent one possible destination. Durant has a storied history with the Warriors, having won two championships during his previous tenure with the franchise.

Additionally, there are whispers of Durant’s interest in the San Antonio Spurs, a team striving to recover from an early playoff exit this season. Finally, the Houston Rockets are reportedly seeking a resurgence following their inability to advance past the Western Conference semifinals, making them another potential contender for Durant’s services.

During his media availability, Brunson credited Bridges’ athleticism for making the game-winning stop, as reported by Newsday Sports’ Steve Popper. “At first, everyone’s like, ‘Oh my God.’ But he makes the play, and I’m like, ‘Oh, good.’ Just very thankful for his long ass arms,” Brunson said.

The Knicks were fueled by a dominant performance from Karl-Anthony Towns, who led all five starters in double figures with 32 points and 18 rebounds. Miles McBride contributed 23 points, while Jalen Brunson delivered a well-rounded performance with 22 points and 12 assists. Bridges also played a key role, finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and two blocks—including the game-saving stop.

On the other side, the Bulls were led by Josh Giddey’s impressive outing of 27 points, 16 rebounds, and four assists. Nikola Vucevic also added 21 points and nine rebounds but struggled to come through in the NBA game’s most crucial moment.

Bridges reflects on game-saving block

With 8.1 seconds remaining in overtime, Bridges made the defensive play of the night, denying Vucevic in the paint and preserving the Knicks’ narrow victory. After the game, Bridges detailed his mindset during the final possession, sharing his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter).

“[I] just tried to be aggressive and not try to foul him,” Bridges said. “You know, not try to let him score. I think he helped me out by using his right hand. Just tried not to lose.”

Bridges’ heroic block punctuated an intense showdown, solidifying the Knicks’ win as they continue their push for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference.

It didn’t take long before James proved to be a unique kind of talent. His longevity is pretty much second to none, and two generations of players have grown up watching him play.

That’s why it’s not surprising to see Brooklyn Nets star Mikal Bridges giving him the nod as the best player of all time, praising how he was able to round up his game throughout the years.

Mikal Bridges Says LeBron James Is The GOAT

“LeBron, ain’t no hesitation to that,” Bridges said on Gaming Room. “You want a guy that’ll just take over whenever. It’s crazy that in 2013, 2014, and even like 15, he could be known as the greatest player ever and still keep getting better.

“I think his jump shot, I’ll give it to him like his jump shot been looking real nice,” Bridges added. “(The) Biggest thing on LeBron, guarding him is just back up. He likes to get to the rim but now you gotta be up a little bit. Now you’re going to what he wants, he wants to go past you and take off.“

“Him adding that aspect brought his game to another level,” Bridges continued. “I feel like if I was one of the players on his team, why would you not want him on your team because he’s just gonna make everybody look better and I gotta says LeBron. Look at the numbers, look at everything.”

“I don’t blame the Jordan stuff because I didn’t grow up watching Jordan,” Bridges admitted. “I’m just gonna go off some highlights and go off just what people say? No, that’s not right. I will go off what I’ve been watching, what I’ve been seeing all these years and even now and being in the league and guarding him and this is when he’s older. You watch games back in the day too in Miami and stuff so I gotta say LeBron easily.”

Bridges’ case for James makes sense, but there will never be a way to objectively determine who’s the greatest player of all time. At the end of the day, we can’t do anything but share our thoughts about that.