Jalen Brunson missed the cut for Team USA in 2024, but he’s in line to rectify that during the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
That’s really cool. And well-deserved. It’s also something that should be slightly concerning to the New York Knicks, and their fans. Because selfishly, should they really want their then 31-year-old superstar playing so much basketball?
Especially when he could be fresh off signing the mega deal he passed on last offseason?
Let’s face it, Jalen Brunson is making Team USA in 2028
Roughly one year after Team USA won a gold medal at the 2024 Olympics, CBS Sports’ Colin Ward-Henninger has offered predictions for the 2028 roster. Not surprisingly, Brunson earned a spot inside his crystal ball.
“Brunson was ‘high on the list’ of candidates for the 2024 Olympic team, according to [Steve] Kerr, but was ultimately left off the roster,” he writes. “That's not going to happen in 2028, when he should easily slide into the vacancy left by [Stephen] Curry at the guard position.”
This prediction retains an air of boldness, because the Olympics are still three years away. Brunson will be approaching his 32nd birthday that summer. Anything can happen between now and then—including Team USA deciding to prioritize size or more positionless play styles from its primary ball-handlers.
Still, the logic here is spot-on. Curry will be over 40, and almost certainly not on the roster. Even if he is, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White are both set to age out. While the NBA’s guard landscape could change between now and then, Brunson is nothing if not a lock to be a finalist for one of the spots.
Sending Jalen Brunson to the Olympics is not without downside for the Knicks
Nobody should root against Brunson getting snubbed from Team USA in 2028. But if the Knicks still plan on him being their driving force into the 2028-29 season, we have to acknowledge the potential downside.
Since setting up shop in New York three years ago, Brunson ranks eighth among all players in total minutes, across both the regular season and playoffs. Even after replacing Tom Thibodeau with Mike Brown, who will be more experimental with lineups and rotations, the Knicks are not in a position to materially lighten their floor general’s workload. There is a good chance he wraps up his sixth season in The Mecca, ahead of the 2028 Olympics, still inside the top 10 of total minutes played.
Ferrying that kind of workload for more than a half-decade extracts a physical toll. Especially on undersized guards. And infinitely more so on undersized guards who play Brunson’s physical brand of basketball. Sure, his minutes will be more in check with Team USA. He’ll be playing alongside a smorgasbord of superstars. But the risk of overuse or injury will persist.
More than that, the stakes will be even higher for the Knicks. Brunson holds a player option for that summer. He could sign an extension before then, and gift New York another ridiculous discount. He could also seek to recoup some of the money he’s left on the table. If he goes that route, he’ll be eligible to sign a four-year deal worth up to $297.1 million, or a five-year deal worth up to $384.6 million.
That’s a lot of money to invest in someone through their mid-30s. Brunson might be worth it. He’s certainly worth a Team USA roster spot. But preserving him for the Knicks’ championship push is a variable that'll be more front-and-center in 2028 than it was last summer.