Jalen Brunson and the Dallas Mavericks did the New York Knicks a favor by knocking Donovan Mitchell and the Utah Jazz out of the playoffs.
Before the postseason, a first-round exit by the Jazz was thought to be enough for Mitchell to request a trade. That happened on Thursday night, so only time will tell, but there’s also the possibility that New York could sign Brunson in free agency.
Based on his performance in the playoffs alongside Luka Doncic, Brunson’s potential free agency value has shot up. It’s been predicted that he could make between $20-$25 million annually (subscription required) with a new deal.
For a team that might see Mitchell Robinson walk as an unrestricted free agent himself, that’s a good amount of money.
The Knicks could work with the Mavericks for a sign-and-trade deal, and that could be a possibility, except according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, “League sources say the Mavs have no intention of cooperating in potential sign-and-trade scenarios.”
The Mavs had a chance to sign Jalen Brunson to a $55.5M extension. They passed. Then it was too late. He’ll get much more after starring in playoffs. “Ain’t no discount,” his NBA-ex dad told ESPN.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) April 25, 2022
ESPN story on a subject Jalen swears isn’t on his mind: https://t.co/raY5gw4OVF
Knicks won’t be able to land Jalen Brunson via a sign-and-trade deal, per report.
Dallas’ success in the playoffs, especially without Doncic in the first three games of the series, has hinged on Brunson. The 25-year-old averaged 27.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in the six first-round games. In Game 2, Brunson scored 41 points (15-of-25) and had 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals.
For him, there couldn’t be a better time for him to show off on the big stage. And what is he making in 2021-22 to show for it? A whopping $1.8 million. Now he has the chance to make nearly 20 times that amount next season.
Understandably, Dallas wants to try to keep him, which is why the team isn’t willing to engage in sign-and-trade talks. MacMahon wrote:
"“Mavs governor Mark Cuban has stated he plans to re-sign Brunson and is well aware the price tag has become significantly more expensive, which would push Dallas well into the luxury tax. The Mavs have Brunson’s Bird rights, so they can give him a five-year deal while other teams are limited to four-year offers. Dallas would not have salary-cap space if Brunson leaves, so his departure would create a gaping void.”"
If Brunson enters free agency and signs elsewhere (cough New York cough), the Mavericks will have their hands tied. Dallas signed Doncic to a five-year, $207.1 million supermax rookie extension before the start of the 2021-22 season.
Doncic was and is worthy of that amount of money, but it’ll make keeping Brunson even more difficult.
Like MacMahon said, the Knicks would be able to offer Brunson around $20 million per year, but the front office would first have to create cap space. To do so, there are a few players that New York could part ways with this summer, and Brunson would be worth it.
For the first time in a long time, the Knicks have the chance to land a true point guard. New York already has Immanuel Quickley, who closed the year out on a high note, but out of the two, Brunson’s the far better option.
And who knows, maybe the Mavericks will change their tune. Brunson’s said that he’d like to stay, but the NBA offseason is always full of surprises. Will Brunson be suiting up for the Knicks in 2022-23?
Jalen Brunson’s playoff performance is impossible for Knicks to ignore
Jalen Brunson has been linked to the New York Knicks for a while and his dominant play in the playoffs might have made him their main free-agent target.