New York Knicks: Brandon Jennings Would Have Come To NY For Less

In an interview with Al Iannazzone of Newsday, Brandon Jennings stated he would have joined the New York Knicks for $1 million.

The New York Knicks revamped their entire roster in the offseason. Only five players—Carmelo Anthony, Kyle O’Quinn, Kristaps Porzingis, Lance Thomas, and Sasha Vujacic—have returned from last season.

After acquiring Derrick Rose, along with Justin Holiday and 2017 second-round pick, the Knicks signed Brandon Jennings to a one-year, $5 million contract two weeks later. The Knicks made a good signing by bringing in the former No.10 overall pick. New York is hoping that the addition of Jennings will bolster their bench.

Jennings told Al Iannazzone of Newsday that he would have taken $1 million to come to the Big Apple.

"“Actually I didn’t get any offers from any other team but New York. A lot was because of my Achilles, nobody knew how healthy I was and things like that. I definitely put in the time this summer, lost a lot of weight. I made sure I was ready. When Phil (Jackson) called, I was like ‘Yo, I’m coming.’ It was a no-brainer . . . Shoot, I would have come here for a million. It didn’t matter. I just wanted to be in an NBA uniform and be somewhere where I had a chance to win, and New York City — why not?”"

Jennings also stated that he “didn’t get any offers from any other team but New York.” Coming back from a ruptured Achilles tendon is difficult in itself, so it’s understandable why teams would lean against signing the 6’1″ guard.

With one team showing interest in signing him, Jennings must have a chip on his shoulder. When Phil Jackson contacted the Knicks guard, he had one major expectation for him: win the Sixth Man of the Year award.

Since Derrick Rose was not available for five of the six preseason games, Jennings had the opportunity to show that he could still be a valuable commodity to an NBA team. The Knicks guard dazzled the crowd at Madison Square Garden throughout the preseason with flashy passes and a few shimmies.

Along with that, he has shown on some occasions that he can be aggressive on defense. He was pestering Nets rookie Isaiah Whitehead in one of their meetings.

Most notably, Jennings got into a small scuffle with Casper Ware in the third quarter of the third preseason game against the Washington Wizards.

There is no question that he has brought a lot of energy to the team during the preseason. That is what Brandon Jennings feels like he’s here for, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.

"As much as I can to light up the team, that’s what I’m there for. I felt something personal, and I was smelling blood out there. I never heard 20,000 people chant my name before.”"

Jennings has compared the 2016-17 Knicks to the Knicks of 1990s by saying he’s going to be the one to start things on the court. Most notably, he compared himself and Joakim Noah to Anthony Mason and John Starks.

The Knicks guard did struggle with his shooting on opening night, but struggling on opening night shouldn’t be a major concern. He finished with seven points, five assists, three rebounds, and shot 1-of-7 from the field.

After being a starter for the majority of his career, Jennings will be an important player off the bench. His role in the second unit will be crucial if the Knicks are to have success this season.

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