There's still a month left in the NBA offseason, but teams already made their major moves. The New York Knicks stunned everyone when they traded for Mikal Bridges before the draft. Nobody saw that coming (not even Mikal).
Since then, the Knicks have made several additional moves, some more important than others. One move New York wishes it could've made but didn't is re-signing Isaiah Hartenstein. The Thunder offered him a three-year, $87 million deal that the Knicks couldn't match.
Bleacher Report's Dan Favale identified the biggest win and loss for each NBA team's offseason. Predictably, he selected Hartenstein as the Knicks' biggest loss. For their biggest win, Favale didn't go with the Bridges trade. Instead, he chose Jalen Brunson's four-year, $156 million extension.
B/R chooses Jalen Brunson's extension as Knicks' biggest offseason win
Brunson could've signed a five-year deal worth $269 million as a free agent next summer. Rather than wait, he gave New York a massive discount and left $113 million guaranteed on the table.
He ensured the Knicks wouldn't pass the second tax apron. The collective bargaining agreement imposes harsh penalties for teams over the second apron. Favale nailed the importance of the extension:
"The Brunson extension is more meaningful because it'll keep the New York Knicks leaner as their core gets more expensive."
New York has way more financial flexibility than it would've had if Brunson signed a new contract in 2025. It's not unusual for stars to give their teams a discount, but it's uncommon for them to take a pay cut like the point guard did. Brunson set a precedent that other stars can follow to give their teams an upper hand against the CBA.
Brunson's goal is to deliver New York its third NBA title. He ensured that the Knicks will stay competitive. The front office has also done Brunson a few favors, like adding three of his former Villanova friends to the roster. Leon Rose and Co. didn't do that to appease Brunson, as Hart, DiVincenzo, and Bridges are great fits. However, it's still a bonus for Brunson.
Expectations are high for New York in 2024-25. Let's see what Brunson and the Knicks can do.