The New York Knicks made a marquee free agent pickup, signing Jalen Brunson to a four-year, $104 million deal. Brunson comes over from the Dallas Mavericks, where he flourished in the backcourt alongside Luka Doncic. Although the contract has been scrutinized by the media, no one can deny the Knicks have been in need of a point guard, and at the very least, they have solved that issue for the near future.
While Brunson doesn’t turn the Knicks into a ‘Big Three’ of any kind, he does add a winning mentality with the potential to grow even more. The former Villanova Wildcat helped his team to two national championships and was a key part of numerous Dallas playoff berths.
Jalen Brunson should look to check off these goals in his first season with the Knicks
Brunson isn’t expected to be the sole difference maker in turning New York around, but he will be counted on to help turn the blue and orange into a playoff team. He’s a win-first point guard who can add scoring and be a useful playmaker.
Knicks culture tends to embrace players like Brunson, so fitting in with his new team shouldn’t be an issue. However, the pressure of playing in New York can be heavy, so like everyone, there will be some goals Brunson will be expected to hit.
Whether or not these are actually written in his contract doesn’t matter. Brunson will be making more than any other Knicks player this upcoming season, so there will be many eyes watching to see how he performs in year one.