In the East, the Knicks have plenty of money to spend.

Following the injuries to Tatum and Haliburton, the Eastern Conference is destined for a reshuffle next season. This is why teams such as the Hawks and Magic are actively fortifying their squads during the offseason, as they detect a glimmer of chance.

As the team that knocked out the Celtics to reach the Eastern Conference Finals last season, the Knicks will not remain passive. Retaining their core roster, they have strengthened their lineup with Clarkson and Yabusele, who performed well with the 76ers last season. After being overwhelmed by the Pacers due to depth issues, the Knicks are also taking proactive measures.

Yesterday, the Knicks secured a key player's contract extension, signing Bridges for four years and $150 million. There’s no need to debate whether this extension is worth it; Bridges could easily opt out of his contract after next season and sign for up to five years and $290 million. Even if he doesn’t reach that figure, a five-year deal worth $200 million is still very attainable, as many teams will have salary cap space next year.

Bridges chose to sign the extension not only for financial security but also because he feels comfortable here. Playing alongside OG Anunoby on the wing has eased his offensive and defensive burdens, and having his college teammates Brunson and Hart around provides significant emotional support.

Playing for the Knicks, he may earn slightly less on paper, but his workload is also lighter. Last season, his usage rate with the Knicks was around 19%, comparable to his time with the Suns. In contrast, during his season with the Nets, his usage rate skyrocketed to nearly 30%.

Players like Bridges are not ideally suited to be the primary option on a team; he can handle the ball, but his best role is off the ball. After experiencing the growing pains of changing his shooting form last season, Bridges improved as the season progressed.

Although his three-point shooting can be inconsistent, his mid-range game became a potent offensive weapon in the playoffs. He is essentially the third option for the Knicks, benefiting from Brunson and Towns drawing defensive attention, which significantly reduces his offensive pressure.

This also allows him to focus more on defense. In the first two games of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, Bridges made crucial defensive plays. In the first game, he intercepted Brown, and in the second, he disrupted Tatum’s pass, showcasing the value of a top-tier wing defender—this was the Knicks' intention when they acquired him at a high price.

When the Knicks acquired Bridges, they gave up first-round picks in 2025, 2027, 2029, and 2031, as well as a swap right for the 2028 first-round pick. Therefore, extending Bridges was a foregone conclusion, and notably, he took a slight pay cut this time.

Originally, he could have signed for four years and $156 million but ended up with $6 million less. While $6 million may not seem significant, it is crucial for the Knicks' operations. Next season, the Knicks’ total salary will be $204.1 million, which is $3.71 million below the second luxury tax threshold. For the 2026-27 season, the Knicks’ projected total salary is $203.7 million, $18.62 million below the second luxury tax line.

Keeping the team's salary level consistently below the second luxury tax threshold ensures healthy development for the franchise. This Knicks roster wouldn't have been able to achieve this without Brunson's salary reduction last year, which became a key factor.

Last year, Brunson signed a four-year, $156 million extension with the Knicks. He was eligible to sign a supermax deal worth $270 million this year, and given his caliber, such an offer would likely have been readily available to him.

After Brunson's salary reduction, the Knicks had the flexibility to extend Bridges, ensuring that the Villanova duo would remain intact. After offering substantial contracts to all five starters, their combined contracts now total $740 million.

However, for the Knicks, backed by New York, revenue will always exceed expenditures. The further they advance in the playoffs, the higher their ticket sales and surrounding revenue will be. Even when the Knicks were struggling, their games were still sold out; it’s even more so now that they are on the rise again.

In the latest power rankings for Eastern Conference teams, the Knicks rank second, just behind the Cavaliers. However, based on playoff performance, the Knicks may not necessarily be weaker than the Cavaliers next season. On paper, the team can field a nine-man deep rotation, including the starting five plus McBride, Miro, and offseason additions Clarkson and Yabusele.

They revamped the coaching staff during the offseason, parting ways with Thibodeau and hiring Mike Brown. With his experience from his time with the Kings, Brown is clearly no longer the “puppet coach” he once was alongside LeBron.

During Brown's tenure with the Kings, they showcased excellent ball movement and achieved the league's top offensive efficiency in the 2022-23 season. In contrast, the Knicks' offense in recent seasons has relied heavily on Brunson's ball dominance, becoming overly dependent on his isolation plays.

Thus, it is anticipated that next season, the Knicks will focus on improving their off-ball offense to alleviate Brunson's ball-handling burden. Towns will take on a larger role within Brown's system, as this exceptionally talented center indeed had too little ball time last season.

A new coach brings a new system, and with the foundation of a team that reached the Eastern Conference Finals, the Knicks are likely to be the top seed in the East next season. Times have certainly changed.