Jalen Brunson Clarifies Recent Comments About Contract Situation
Jalen Brunson made it clear recently that he wants to get paid like the superstar he’s become for the New York Knicks, but he may have also made more noise…
Jalen Brunson made it clear recently that he wants to get paid like the superstar he's become for the New York Knicks, but he may have also made more noise than he intended.
The point guard recently did a profile piece for Vanity Fair that covered his rise from second-round pick to All-NBA guard and one of the league's best scorers, but the comment that raised eyebrows concerned Brunson's contract situation. Here's what Brunson said in the original interview:
"If I'm thinking about playing well to make sure I get paid, that could mess with me. I play best when I have a free mind, and that did that for me. A lot of people say I sacrificed for the team. One hundred percent I sacrificed for the team. But most importantly, I made sure my family and I are taken care of. … Obviously we'd love for them to do right by me. I think anyone would. I feel like I sacrificed."
There's no question that Brunson made a financial sacrifice. He signed a four-year extension for more than $156 million, the fourth being a player option after the 2027-28 season. It's possible that, if Brunson continues to play at an All-NBA-caliber level, he could opt out and become a free agent, where he'd easily be in line for a big bump in AAV.
In the summer of 2027, Brunson would be eligible for a five-year "supermax" deal of five years and a whopping $417.8 million, or about $83.6 million per season. It's unlikely the Knicks would actually extend themselves that much for a point guard that will be 31 years old at that point.
Brunson has to understand that, but he also did his best to clarify the "Do right by me" comments in a new interview with the New York Post. Basically, Brunson loves being a Knick and wants to play out his NBA years in NYC:
"I would love to be here for the rest of my career. I love this place. They've welcomed me with open arms. They've been behind my back since Day 1. I built a life here. And I love the city, I love the fans, I love everything this place has offered me, on and off the court. So I just love it here. And I'd love to stay."
Considering Brunson signed an extension for an AAV that's half of the highest-paid players in the NBA, he certainly seems to believe that he left a lot of money on the table and did the Knicks a solid in terms of their roster-building and financial flexibility. He's not wrong. But he's probably going to have to work out a new contract that's substantially lower than the supermax, which would be an absurd payday for any NBA player, let alone a 6-foot-2 point guard on the wrong side of 30.
But the can of worms has been opened. Let the contract talk begin.
