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Jalen Brunson blew up for the New York Knicks this past season and turned into an MVP candidate while leading the team to Game 7 of the second round of the playoffs, and for the first time in a long time, this fanbase is starting to think about a championship.
Brunson is also in the midst of one of the most favorable contracts in the NBA, as he is halfway through a 4-year, $104 million contract and is reportedly already thinking about his next contract while mulling a groundbreaking decision.
The Athletic’s Fred Katz reported that “Jalen Brunson’s really considering signing the extension and taking way less money (than he could get next summer)…I was told…he’s mulling it.”
Fred Katz: “…Everything I’ve been told, everything Steve Popper had (in May) completely on the nose:”
“Jalen Brunson’s really considering signing the extension & taking way less money (than he could get next summer)…I was told…he’s mulling it…”
MUCH more in full pod https://t.co/NFEjZ8iY1E pic.twitter.com/eCK16oUJDv
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) June 29, 2024
The hometown discount would be one of the biggest ever, as Brunson would be looking at a 4-year, $156 million extension if he chose to sign before free agency, but if he waited until next summer, he could sign for five years and $270 million.
Leaving $114 million on the table would be unprecedented, and while we don’t know the motives behind it, one could assume this would be done to ensure the Knicks have more cap flexibility going forward and are able to keep its core intact.
The Knicks have Brunson’s Villanova buddies all locked up through at least the next two years, but all three of Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo, and Mikal Bridges will likely be in line for hefty pay raises in a few years, namely Bridges who has two years left on his deal and is only making $23.3 million and $24.9 million over the next two years.
This would be a shocking development in New York and solidify Brunson as a Knicks legend.
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