The New York Knicks have a bunch of money stuff to worry about over the course of the next few years. One of the primary decisions they will have to make will involve Jalen Brunson’s inevitable contract extension. It’s a no-brainer: Pay him. But paying Brunson will result in a ton of other second-apron decisions, much like the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell extension. But the two deals are truly incomparable.
Will the two players probably end up making similar amounts of money? Probably. But it doesn’t matter. The Knicks paying Brunson makes infinitely more sense than the Cavaliers paying Mitchell. Especially at the price point they handed him. Brunson is not only a better player, but up to this point, he earned the payday more.
The second-apron problems will be somewhat similar. Probably even worse for New York. But Brunson’s eventual contract will be so much better than Mitchell’s, no matter what way you spin it.
Jalen Brunson's next deal will be much better than Donovan Mitchell's
By the time Mitchell’s contract reaches its final year, he’ll be making $75.5 million. That’s an insane amount of money, and building around it will be very difficult for the Cavs.
Plus, they’ll have to pay Evan Mobley eventually, too. It’s going to be a brutal CBA awakening for the Cavaliers once they get into the final few seasons of Mitchell’s contract.
Then, there’s the Knicks. They are already staring down some tough decisions, as they have five players who all either make a ton of money and/or will demand a ton of money on their next contract.
One of those players is Brunson. The last time Brunson was in line for a big-time payday, he chose to take less money instead. He wanted to help the Knicks keep their team together.
It worked. The Knicks kept the group together and won a championship this year. Because of that, paying Brunson is a no-brainer. He earned the payday. .
Nobody is going to bat an eye at the Knicks paying Brunson. His pay cut paid off. The Knicks won a title. He’s earned the right to demand a max deal.
On top of that, Brunson has proven that he’s a 1A. He can be the best guy on a championship team. You pay that guy no matter what. Mitchell has not proven that. He’s never won a title. Never been to an NBA Finals.
Paying Brunson is obvious. And though the contracts and ramifications may be similar, Brunson’s deal will be much better than Mitchell’s.
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