When the Phoenix Suns acquired Miles Bridges, a plethora of questions entered my mind. And one of the first was whether or not they would extend him. He is entering the final year of his contract at $22.8 million, so the possibility existed that Phoenix moved off the $29 million owed to Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale to save money in the short term while creating more financial flexibility moving forward. But when I saw that the Suns attached their unprotected 2033 first-round pick to make the transaction work, my thinking changed.

I don’t believe it would be responsible to attach an asset that valuable simply to move off money. That leads me to believe the Suns have a longer-term vision for Bridges, which got me thinking about two questions. What would an extension look like, and when should Phoenix offer it?

My opinion? This isn’t a decision that should be rushed. Bridges becomes eligible for an extension on July 14, but eligibility doesn’t mean the organization needs to immediately put a contract in front of him. The reasonable and responsible way to navigate this is to wait and see. How does Bridges fit within the system Phoenix is building? How does he respond to his teammates? More importantly, how does he look on the court alongside them?

For all the numbers and analytics you can gather, the one thing that remains difficult to quantify is chemistry. The Suns should give themselves time to determine whether that chemistry exists between Bridges and the team they’re building. If it does, give him the contract. If it doesn’t, start thinking about an exit strategy.

The Suns don’t have to be in a rush because there are two options relative to a Miles Bridges extension that currently exist. The first is if they opt to sign him within six months of the trade. Seeing as the trade becomes official tomorrow, July 6, that would put the six-month mark at January 6, 2027.

That gives Phoenix plenty of time to execute the strategy laid out above and evaluate how Bridges fits within the confines of this roster. They can see how he plays alongside Devin Booker and Jalen Green, how he responds to Jordan Ott’s system, and whether the chemistry exists to justify a long-term commitment.

If the Suns opt to extend Bridges within that six-month window, they would be limited by the extend-and-trade rules. Essentially, the maximum amount Phoenix could offer him would begin at 120% of his previous $22.8 million salary, with 5% raises in each additional season and no more than four total seasons, including the current year.

So what does that look like financially? The new deal would be three years, with a maximum of $86.3 million, structured as such:

Here is how it would look on the Suns’ five-year cap sheet:

If the Suns opt to wait, Miles Bridges could become eligible for a larger extension.

Once that six-month restriction passes, post-January 6, if you will, Phoenix could offer him a standard veteran extension. This is the deal that provides Bridges with more long-term security and comes with a potentially higher price tag. The standard extension can begin at up to 140% of the final year of his current contract with 8% annual raises.

How does that look on the cap sheet? Four years, $143.2 million.

And the cap sheet, where Bridges finds himself alone as the only player under contract in the 2023-31 season:

What is alarming about that number in both scenarios is the Suns’ total cap figure for the 2027-28 season. Yes, the salary cap will increase, along with the luxury tax and apron thresholds, but Phoenix would still be committing a significant amount of money to the roster. And all of this is without a Dillon Brooks extension, which could tack on another $25 million to the cap sheet.

Both of those contract structures represent the maximum amount Phoenix could offer. The Suns could offer Bridges less than 120% of his current salary in the three-year scenario or less than 140% once the six-month restriction passes. I’m providing the maximum values simply to illustrate the high-end possibilities and establish the ceiling of what a potential extension could look like.

It all depends on how the Suns believe Bridges aligns with their future. I wouldn’t be surprised if Phoenix ultimately takes the swing and signs him to one of those extensions. Why? Because the timelines align pretty well with the current path of the organization.

The Suns have young talent they’re in the process of developing, and those players can continue to grow alongside this current era of Suns basketball. Rasheer Fleming is the obvious player to watch as it pertains to a Bridges extension because he plays the same position at the four. We know injuries will occur, opportunities will arise for Fleming to earn playing time, and ultimately it comes down to how well he develops when those opportunities present themselves.

There is also a world in which the Suns opt not to extend Dillon Brooks, something they have yet to do, and Miles Bridges eventually moves to small forward while Fleming takes over as the starting power forward. Theoretical? Absolutely. But it’s a possibility nonetheless.

If the Suns were to extend Bridges for three years, Rasheer Fleming would be 25 years old when that contract expires. Fleming will also become eligible for a rookie extension next summer, even though he remains under contract through the summer of 2029 if the Suns exercise his team option in the summer of 2028. That gives Phoenix time to evaluate Fleming’s development while maintaining stability at the position with Bridges.

Then there is the money timeline. Devin Booker is under contract through 2030, the same timeframe in which the dead money finally comes off the Suns’ cap sheet. Extending Miles Bridges would align with that timeline.

Between now and 2030, the Suns have first-round draft picks. They might not be the most valuable first-round picks, but they do have ammunition in the proverbial draft gun to continue adding young players and prospects to the organization. That gives Phoenix multiple swings at development during the same timeframe in which they have NBA starting-caliber players attempting to remain competitive.

Why does that matter? Because there is no benefit to losing for the Suns over the next four years. They don’t control their own draft capital, so there is no reward for mediocrity. The best-case scenario for Phoenix is to continue fielding a competitive team that showcases the identity and culture the organization desires while winning basketball games. That environment also allows young players to earn minutes rather than having them gifted. For players who aren’t lottery picks, I believe that’s the best way to develop.

We should know in the coming weeks what the Phoenix Suns’ strategy is as it pertains to Miles Bridges’ contract. If July 14 arrives and they offer him the three-year extension, don’t be surprised.

While I believe the organization should be prudent and see how Bridges fits within everything the Suns have developed, they did give up that unprotected 2033 first-round pick. They most likely did so with a contract extension in mind. If they do extend him, the hope is that Phoenix doesn’t go all the way to the maximum 120% of his previous salary. The Suns have done an outstanding job this offseason bringing back their players while getting them on appropriate discounts. We’ll see if Brian Gregory can showcase those contract negotiation skills once again when it comes to Miles Bridges.

The other thing to remember, regardless of the length or value of the extension Bridges might receive, is that nothing is permanent. Giving him a contract now doesn’t mean the Suns couldn’t move off of it at some point down the road. If Rasheer Fleming pops as a player, Bridges naturally becomes more expendable.

Granted, we don’t know what the market for Bridges would look like at that exact time or what circumstances might lead to a trade. But if this offseason has taught us anything, it’s that almost any contract can be traded. I never thought Paul George would be moved given his production and the two years, $110 million remaining on his contract, but the NBA continues to find ways to surprise us.

So whenever that Bridges extension comes, it isn’t the end of the world or some permanent declaration about the future of the franchise. It’s simply where the Suns are now.

At this point in the offseason, it’s very clear the Lakers are focused on opening up cap space in order to sign a wing, a glaring hole on the team’s current roster.

What also appears to be clear is that, for now, the focus is not on re-signing one of their free agents, but bringing a new player in.

Rui Hachimura’s free agency hasn’t gone according to plan as he currently still sits without a contract and with few suitors lined up. It left some to wonder if he could return to the Lakers and fill their hole on the perimeter.

However, according to NBA beat writer Jake Fischer, that doesn’t appear to be in the plans for the purple and gold. In his latest piece on Substack on Saturday, Fishcer noted that the presumption around the league is the Lakers are focused on Jonathan Kuminga, not Rui Hachimura, as their wing signing.

There is a corresponding (and growing) expectation that free agent forward Rui Hachimura will join James in exiting Tinseltown.

The Lakers, league sources say, are focused on adding a wing and another big man after Friday’s agreement with Washington to trade Deandre Ayton for the slightly less expensive Jaden Hardy and two future second-round picks.

And a good bit of that focus, sources say, has involved Kuminga.

Considering the team’s needs and the skill sets of Kuminga and Hachimura, there is rationale for targeting the former. The Lakers have a hole at the small forward position and Rui is more of a four than a three. Kuminga is a better perimeter defender, a need for the Lakers, and is more athletic, fitting the profile of the players signed this offseason.

But the Lakers are not unopposed in their pursuit of Kuminga. In the same piece, Fischer notes the Cavs are interested in signing him while the Hawks are also open to bringing him back.

The Lakers’ need to create cap space means Kuminga could be off the market by the time they can sign him. It adds to the urgency of the situation. It also is further evidence of how fluid free agency remains.

For now, the Lakers don’t seem interested in bringing back Rui. But things can still change.

You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.

With limited roster and cap space, the Knicks made a pretty big gamble about a year ago in free agency.

While using their mid-level exception on Guerschon Yabusele would prove to ultimately be riskier, it was pretty eye-opening to see the team sign Jordan Clarkson, a high-usage, low-shot-quality microwave scorer who had played on a destitute Utah Jazz team for the last three seasons.

But what the team wanted from him was objectively different than what he had been his entire career. They needed his scoring punch, sure, but they wanted him to be a team player on both ends as a contributing role player. Selfish play, low-quality shots, and poor defensive effort weren’t acceptable here.

It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Clarkson in New York. He had stretches of brilliance, most notably a strong December, but was also kicked out of the rotation in late January due to his lack of effort.

It was an experiment. Would the grizzled veteran who isn’t used to winning basketball buy in?

When he got his next opportunity, he seized it by doing everything Mike Brown could’ve asked for. The consummate selfish role player bought in and became a champion.

Fast forward to this offseason, and while the Knicks certainly haven’t ruled out bringing him back next year, it seems like they could go another direction in bringing in one more guard or wing to the roster.

You look at the bench, which is very similar to last year’s, and it looks good, but it lacks the self-created scoring ability that Clarkson possessed. Could they look for a similar archetype?

Well, fortunately for the Knicks, they’ll have options. Outside of Clarkson, there are interesting names on the free agent and buyout market that could fit his role, but with the added risk of buy-in once again.

Bradley Beal and DeMar DeRozan were both once stars of the game. In the late 2010s, they were staples of the Wizards and Raptors, perennially gaining all-star and All-NBA consideration despite their teams always stagnating.

In both of their careers, they stagnated. Their teams grew frustrated with the lack of progress and sent them away. DeRozan was the sacrificial lamb so that Toronto could win a title with Kawhi Leonard. Beal was sent to Phoenix at a low point in his value so Washington could tank. Both of them have steadily declined since, but have still been in different situations entering this offseason.

Beal is coming off a major injury after planning to be a complementary starter on the Clippers in 2025-26, while DeRozan has gotten his numbers up on a truly horrible Kings team that’s going nowhere. While Beal is a free agent now entering his age-33 season, DeRozan is a buyout candidate nearing his 37th birthday. Despite their difference in age, both feel equally close to the end of their NBA careers without any playoff glory to speak of.

Could either be a candidate to join the Knicks’ bench on a vet min?

It all boils down to their willingness to become a team player.

Being unsigned nearly a week into free agency likely means Beal would have to latch on somewhere as a backup anyway, and for a guy who’s never even made the Conference Finals, you’d think he’d be enticed to get an opportunity on a contender.

He’d likely be a better true role player than many think, despite his defensive weaknesses. He’s improved greatly as a shooter since leaving Washington, shooting 40.5% from downtown on 4.6 attempts per game since 2023-24 while becoming a steadier secondary playmaker. He’s also been fairly efficient for a high-usage guard, something that was a major wart on Clarkson’s resume.

The weaknesses are, of course, shoddy defense and his recent injury issues. He’s not terribly old but has played in just 59 total games over the last two seasons. He last played more than 60 games in 2018-19 and is coming off a broken hip. He might be a good fit as a true role player at this point in his career, but there are still major warts that likely give teams pause.

The other option would be DeRozan, contingent on the Kings buying him out. He’s the opposite of what Beal has become over the last few years, continuing to be a high-usage, mid-range maestro. Last year was the first time in 13 years he averaged under 20 points a game, but still averaged 18.4 on nearly 50% from the field.

Clarkson was never a DeRozan-esque offensive player, but he played like DeRozan in his sixth man role for a long time. Their shot diets aren’t conducive to modern basketball; both are shoddy three-point shooters, and neither has ever seen a shot they don’t like. DeRozan isn’t as reckless as Clarkson and has always been turnover-averse, but his style of basketball hasn’t correlated with winning much.

Aside from a long playoff run in 2016 with the Raptors, he’s never gone deeper than an uncompetitive second-round series. In the last seven years, he has one playoff series to his name. He’s also never been anything but a high-usage starter, coming off the bench just 12 times in his career (all as a rookie in 2009-10). His 13.1 FGA/g in 2025-26 were his lowest in 16 years.

The perk of DeRozan is that he would immediately become the second-best self-creating scorer on the team. A few other players can get their own shots, but none can do it quite like DeRozan, other than the captain. He’s also consistently been one of the best clutch scorers in basketball, finishing top three in Clutch Player of the Year voting in 2024 and 2025. This could give the Knicks a secondary option in closing offensive lineups to Brunson’s iso ball.

The downside is self-explanatory. He’d be a 15-20-minute role player, something he’s never been in his career. He hasn’t been a reliable defender in a long time. He has the exact same worries you might have with Clarkson last season, except with the added distinction of him being a five-time All-Star with an ego he’d have to check at the door to join a championship-caliber operation.

All of this aside, they could also just bring back Clarkson, who reinvented himself to prolong what was looking like a fleeting career midway through last season. Their current cap situation will likely see two more players signed, with one being a third center.

Is this the archetype they should hunt? They should at least think about it.

The Nets couldn’t close it out in their first Summer League game against the Kings, and depending on how much stock you want to put into the exhibition matchups, there were plenty of positives to take away. One being Egor Dëmin, who dropped 23 points and looked like a Summer League veteran. They also played stellar defense against Darius Acuff Jr., who scored 25 points in 24 minutes — on 29 shots.

Unfortunately, fans didn’t get a chance to see Mikel Brown Jr., who sat out yesterday and is out again today. He’ll play on Monday against the Warriors. The Nets will also sit Dëmin, Ben Saraf, Drake Powell, Danny Wolf, Tyler Bilodeau, and Chaney Johnson. Who’s left? Hunter Sallis, James Harden’s cousin!

Not playing for the Bucks: Nate Ament who the Nets may or may not have had interest in. Like Joshua Johnson, he’s involved in a trade that doesn’t get finalized till Monday.

🏀 Key Info

• Matchup: Milwaukee vs. Brooklyn
• Time (ET): 3:00 p.m. ET
• Broadcast / Streaming Platform: Gotham Sports App, Prime, NBA TV, NBA League Pass, ESPN+

💬 Discussion

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Saturday’s four-game Summer League slate didn’t disappoint, and there are four more games on tap today as the California Classic heads into its third day of action.

I’m all in on the Sacramento Kings and Darius Acuff Jr. as they face the Warriors’ B-Team, the Golden State Blue. I’m betting on Yaxel Lendeborg staying hot for the Golden State Gold, and the power of friendship (and experience) will prevail for the Nets as they take down the Bucks.

Check out my NBA Summer League Predictions for Sunday, July 5.

NBA Summer League predictions for July 5

Pick
Kings moneyline	-244
Warriors Gold moneyline	-284
Nets moneyline	+143

Today's Summer League Picks

Kings moneyline (-244 at Kalshi)

No. 7 pick Darius Acuff Jr. was electric in his Summer League debut, leading the Kings to a tight win over the Nets on Saturday. 

Acuff Jr. led all scorers with 25 points in the 3-point victory, scoring some key late buckets and feeding Nique Clifford for a go-ahead triple in the waning seconds to account for his fourth and final assist of the contest.

Acuff Jr. is a true game changer who can take over when his team needs him the most, but Sacramento also gets second-year man Clifford, who saw 25.1 minutes per game as a rookie. 

Fellow sophomore Dylan Cardwell logged meaningful minutes as a rookie, delivering 12 games with double-digit boards and 20 games with multiple swats.

Sacramento’s California Classic roster brings the electricity of Acuff Jr. and the experience of Clifford and Cardwell, making for a highly competitive squad. The Golden State Blue roster is significantly weaker, as lottery pick Yaxel Lendeborg is suiting up for the Gold team. The Kings are heavy favorites for a reason.

Warriors Gold moneyline (-284 at Kalshi)

Golden State’s Blue team lost by double digits in its California Classic opener, but the same can’t be said of the Gold Team, which beat the Lakers 104-72.

Michigan standout Yaxel Lendeborg led the way with 19 points, six rebounds, five dimes, a steal, a block, and perfect 4-for-4 shooting from beyond the arc.

Lendeborg was joined in the first unit by Malevy Leons and L.J. Cryer, who each started a game for the Dubs a season ago, and Will Richard, who started 20 games in 2025-26.

The Blue Team has draft pedigree and experience, while only one of San Antonio’s starters (Miles Kelly) in its first game had NBA minutes. Spurs top pick Jayden Quaintance is sitting out Summer League, so San Antonio will prioritize minutes for Tarris Reed Jr. and its second-rounders.

The edge goes to the more talented and experienced Golden State squad.

Nets moneyline (+143 at Kalshi)

Milwaukee won its first game handily over a far less talented and experienced Golden State Blue team. Brooklyn, on the other hand, went toe-to-toe with arguably the best roster at the California Classic. It took a 3-pointer from Nique Clifford in the final seconds of the game for Sacramento to squeak past Brooklyn.

The Nets will have to wait at least one more game for No. 8 pick Mike Brown Jr. to debut, but the team has more than enough firepower to contend with the Bucks.

Brooklyn’s starting five in its first game featured three first-rounders from last year’s draft — Egor Demin, Drake Powell and Ben Saraf. Chaney Johnson logged 17 appearances with the Nets last season, and he and second-rounder Tyler Bilodeau rounded out the first unit.

Milwaukee has a pair of hungry players in Brandon Boston and Kira Lewis Jr., two four-year vets looking to make a return to the league, but Brooklyn has chemistry and recent NBA experience. I’ll give them the nod as they avenge a narrow loss to the Kings.

Sunday’s NBA Summer League parlay

Kings moneyline

Warriors Gold moneyline

Nets moneyline

+363 at Kalshi

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