Jalen Brunson is paving the way forward for basketball players across the world. The "small guard" archetype had fallen almost entirely out of favor, leading to players like the New York Knicks' Captain himself being dismissed as championship-winning players.
After leading his squad to the 2026 NBA title with a 45-point closeout performance to remember, though, Brunson firmly placed his name on the list of "1A" superstars. That put the $37 million pay-cut he took firmly in focus as a pivotal step toward ending the organization's 53-year championship drought.
Now, the San Antonio Spurs' leading star is looking to do the same thing. Brunson didn't invent taking pay-cuts, and Victor Wembanyama has plenty of organizational precedent to follow between Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili – three franchise greats that made habits of taking less money than they could have gotten.
In the modern NBA, though, Brunson has instantly become the face of individual sacrifice. Everything he's done as a Knick, on and off the court, has been in service of the team's success. Even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is already trying to play off the ball more, in what is seemingly a response to the Brunson adjustment that helped New York beat San Antonio. Superstars across the league want to be more like Brunson. Who can blame them?
Wembanyama set to forego payday on first NBA extension
The $113 million figure commonly floated around Brunson's pay-cut is certainly a bit of a stretch. While it may literally represent the total dollar amount he looked off by signing a shorter contract, it ignores the reality that he'll likely opt out of the fourth year of that deal – and ink a much more lucrative one.
The point guard was also 27 years old when he made that decision. Brunson's first deal with the Knicks was the second of his NBA career. That's when players historically prioritize pay-days over their team's flexibility, getting every penny they're worth and securing well-deserved financial stability for themselves and their loved ones.
Taking a pay cut on his second NBA contract would be Wembanyama's way of taking things a step further. The 7-foot-5 center is certainly uniquely positioned to make up for it on the back end, though.
Brunson's third Knicks contract will be the fourth of his career, and should render him and the Knicks as "even" as they'll get. Fans might disagree, saying they're forever in the Captain's debt. But the guard already told Vanity Fair, even before New York won the title, he hopes the team "does right" by him on that next deal.
Wembanyama hasn't been cashing out on most of the endorsement opportunities companies have slid his way, with The Athletic's Jared Weiss reporting in June that plenty of soda brands have been disappointed by The Alien. Brunson is actively showing him those things can be even more profitable later on, if you're willing to risk waiting until you win.
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