New York Knicks rumors are always flying at any given trade deadline, but this one seems to have a little extra pressure.
In the midst of a disappointing season where New York is currently just 23-27 and sitting at 12th in the Eastern Conference, serious talks about roster changes are certainly being discussed.
New York Knicks Rumors: Jalen Brunson a popular target
Among the names brought up as potential Knicks targets, Jalen Brunson is certainly one that has come up frequently.
New York’s point guard situation has been in disarray all season long since Derrick Rose went down with an injury.
Brunson’s future in Dallas isn’t 100% certain, and New York has shown some interest in the 25-year-old guard.
Begley stated,
"“Jalen Brunson, for many different reasons, has been on the Knick radar for a while now."
Just how closely have the Knicks monitored the situation? Are the Mavericks likely to make Brunson available?
New York Knicks Rumors: Jalen Brunson’s links to NY
The ties of Jalen Brunson to the New York Knicks are really quite extensive and a huge chunk of those links have to do with their president, Leon Rose.
When Leon Rose was an NBA agent, he represented Brunson with the CAA prior to becoming team president of the Knicks.
One of Rose’s first clients was Jalen’s father, Rick Brunson, with who he’s maintained a close relationship with.
Rick Brunson himself played for the Knicks. He has also coached with Tom Thibodeau before.
It’s been reported that the Knicks have been inquiring about Brunson since early 2020.
Brunson lines up well with New Yorks’ timeline.
He’s an ascending player who seems to just be hitting his prime. He’s young, but he’s not unproven.
Brunson has really established himself as a dynamic scoring point guard. Over his last 12 games, he’s averaged 14.8 points, 6 assists, and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 53.9% from the field.
It would certainly cost the Knicks a first-round pick, a solid role player, and one of their young players — likely Immanuel Quickley or Obi Toppin, if they are to get anywhere close to getting Brunson.
Would the Mavs be willing to part with Brunson? Just how likely is this trade?
New York Knicks Rumors: Will the Mavericks trade Jalen Brunson?
This is a situation where I recommend one of my favorite exercises — imagining you are a fan of a different team. Whether it’s for potential trades or evaluating young players, I always find this to be a good way to measure what’s going on with different teams in the NBA.
Imagine you are a Dallas Mavericks fan. Your team is 29-21 and you are the 5th seed in the Western Conference.
Jalen Brunson is arguably your 2nd best player, certainly your 3rd best.
He’s an ascending talent, and really the combo guard next to Luka Doncic that this team has needed.
While I understand Brunson is a free agent at the end of the season and will certainly demand a long-term contract of around 20 million per year.
The Mavs are certainly strapped for cash, but in situations like this, you feel the team will find a way to try and keep him.
Unless the Mavericks are getting some sort of king’s ransom for Jalen Brunson, why would they actively want to make their team worse? This is a team that’s trying to take the next step in their playoff quest and maybe reach a 2nd or 3rd round. They want to show their franchise player, Luka Doncic, that they’re committed to winning.
Kemba Walker and a first-round pick… doesn’t do much for them.
Now maybe, New York finds a way to pull this off. Brunson certainly wouldn’t be a rental for them — they’d definitely want to get a contract extension done soon if they trade for him.
The trade deadline is just a few weeks away, so we’ll find out sooner rather than later.