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Knicks signing Jalen Brunson still unlikely as free agency nears

By Jake Brown

Jan 12, 2022; New York, New York, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson (13) goes up for a shot in front of New York Knicks guard RJ Barrett (9) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 12, 2022; New York, New York, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson (13) goes up for a shot in front of New York Knicks guard RJ Barrett (9) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports /
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As free agency nears, the New York Knicks will have some work to do to fill out their roster, specifically at the point guard position.

Several names have been thrown around over the last couple of months as to who could run the offense in New York for years to come.

The name that has been thrown around the most, however, has been Dallas Mavericks combo guard Jalen Brunson.

Brunson enjoyed a nice 2021-22 campaign, being the complementary piece to All-NBA First Teamer Luka Doncic, but Brunson is set to become an unrestricted free agent in July.

Is signing guard Jalen Brunson a reality for the New York Knicks?

A few months ago, this seemed like a realistic option for the Knicks, who have been looking for answers at the point for many years now.

But with Brunson emerging as a viable second option for the Mavericks in the playoffs, New York’s chances at the former Villanova product have diminished.

Brunson helped Dallas reach the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2011 before getting eliminated by the Golden State Warriors in five games.

And with this tweet from Stefan Bondy, it looks like the Knicks’ odds at landing Brunson have gotten even worse:

A majority of the money will be within the Mavericks organization this summer, as Dallas can offer him the largest contract out of any team in the league.

Brunson is looking to make a minimum of $20 million per year in his negotiations this offseason, as he’s coming off the best season of his four-year career.

New York’s doing everything in its power to push for Brunson, hiring his father Rick as an assistant coach on Tom Thibodeau’s staff, per Ian Begley.

While this news may be intriguing with all the rumors surrounding Brunson, the Knicks currently doesn’t have any cap space to make a viable run at signing the highly coveted free agent guard.

New York currently has 13 players under contract next season, meaning that the team would have to either execute a sign-and-trade for Brunson or find suitors to take on some expendable contracts.

The only downside to working with an additional team would be the potential of giving up draft capital to make the deal happen, which is something that the Knicks should be hesitant about doing.

After the conclusion of the Mavericks’ playoff run, Brunson had all of his teammates sign one of his jerseys as a memory from his career year, and he stated, “I love playing with these guys.”

With the current state of Dallas, it would be a surprise to see Brunson depart the Mavericks next season, unless another team can offer him a larger sum of money.

Going forward, New York should shift its focus elsewhere, with the team’s chances at Brunson dwindling with free agency right around the corner. Memphis Grizzlies guard Tyus Jones and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Colin Sexton should now be the top priorities for the Knicks, as both have the ability to spark an offense and defend the other side of the ball.

I hate to disappoint the fans, but it’s time for the fanbase to get snapped back to reality. Brunson will not sign with New York during the offseason.