New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson is adamant that his offseason wrist surgery isn't affecting his shooting stroke during these early stages of the 2026-27 NBA season.
While speaking to the media, the reigning Finals MVP was asked point-blank whether he feels his operation to address a tendon issue in his left wrist has negatively impacted his scoring efficiency this year, to which he quickly responded, "Not at all."
Unfortunately for him, the numbers seem to suggest the exact opposite.
Since he went under the knife this past summer, Brunson finds himself boasting career-low shooting clips of 39.3 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from deep, while even struggling at the charity stripe with the second-worst success rate of his career of 73.2.
What's concerning about this steep decline in productivity is the fact that it's clearly not due to a change in his approach in play. He's still driving the lane as frequently as ever (21.3 per night) and is shooting just .2 more attempts from beyond the arc per game than he did last season, when he converted at a 36.9 percent rate.
Heck, even Brunson himself noted that he's "missing shots I normally make" during these early stages of the year.
Based on the stats at hand, it's quite evident that these shooting woes, coming after months of wrist surgery recovery and rehab, are no mere coincidence.
Mikal Bridges' struggles could lead to benching by Knicks
Brunson isn't the only Knicks player to find himself struggling during these early stages of their title defense tour, as Mikal Bridges has been absolutely abysmal to start off this new campaign.
The forward is posting career-worst numbers all across the board with averages of just 6.1 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game while shooting a truly putrid 30.8 percent from the floor and 26.9 percent from deep.
Things have gotten so bad for Bridges that coach Mike Brown has even limited him to mere single-digit minutes during the second half of games so far this season, including their most recent outing against the Nets, where he logged just three minutes combined between the third and fourth periods.
At this point, there seems to be a growing belief that the Knicks may want to strongly consider sending Bridges to the second unit, if nothing more than to send a message to the rest of the team that anyone can be demoted if their production isn't reaching the club's championship-defending standards.
Until he finds a way to snap out of this rut, expect the veteran to remain on thin ice in coach Brown's eyes.
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