Jalen Brunson: The New King of New York
Jalen Brunson, the starting point guard and cornerstone for the New York Knicks, was on the fast track to becoming the king of New York sports culture in the modern age. However, after giving the Knicks a $37 million discount on his four-year contract extension so the team could go out and recruit top talent, Brunson might be on his way to earning a much bigger title: the most beloved Knick ever.
New York is one of the most electric sports cities in the world, so that statement carries a lot of weight. Now, Patrick Ewing still has this title with Walt Frazier right behind him. Regardless, Brunson, after two years in the Big Apple, is set to take Ewing's throne. This is not only due to his philanthropic efforts to keep the young core of the team together, but also because of the entire state of New York has watched him evolve from an overpaid free agent into a full-fledged superstar.
The Knicks fan base in 2010 had every reason to think they were going to land LeBron James. Instead, the Knicks traded their top prospects for Carmelo Anthony and that decision led them to win only a total of seven playoff games over the next ten seasons. The Knicks are one of the most popular and beloved teams in the world, but Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving both chose to sign with their rival in 2019 over the Brooklyn Bridge, The Brooklyn Nets.
At this point, Brunson was just coming off the bench during his rookie season for the Dallas Mavericks, and there was absolutely no indication that he would be a future face of a franchise, let alone the Knicks. The Knicks acquired Brunson in 2022, and even though he played at a very high level for the Mavericks, the $104 million signing was considered one of the worst signings of free agency. Let's just say it ended up working out for them and was one of the league's biggest bargains.
Most players who outplay the first contract extension of their careers, especially Jalen Brunson after the season he just had during the 2023 season, would be looking to secure as much money as they can possibly get their hands on, but Brunson did something that many wouldn’t and decided that he wanted to prioritize winning a championship. Brunson ended up sacrificing a total of $113 million from his max contract extension to help the team land players that would make them contenders such as Mikal Bridges and Karl Anthony Towns.
Now this number really needs some context. It's only $37 million over the next three years, and it is unlikely that Brunson would commit to the Knicks or any team beyond the summer of 2028. At this point, as a 10-year league veteran, he would be eligible for a full max contract at 35% of the salary cap, which would be just over $400 million.
By surrendering this short-term money, Brunson is guaranteeing that the Knicks aren't just a one or two-year wonder and that they can cultivate a talented squad and keep them together for the distant future. Team president Leon Rose waited the entire situation out, made smart short-term commitments, and saved the Knicks trade capital for the right moves when it came to Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby, but Brunson's discount deal allows the team to have the potential to have a half a decade run and have a real shot at winning a championship.
It is truly impossible to put a value on what this means to Knicks fans who have been begging for some form of success. Carmelo didn't work out. LeBron, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving all said no to the Knicks. Brunson, after confessing that he would've stayed with the Mavericks if they offered him a $55 million dollar contract, has become the new face of New York sports. He’s just getting started.