The possibility that Jalen Brunson could accept a four-year, $156.5 million contract instead of waiting until next offseason to earn $113 million more had been floated as a possibility following the 2023-24 NBA season. But as much as the move would help the New York Knicks from a salary-cap perspective, it seemed unlikely for any budding star to leave that much money on the table for the good of the franchise.
But on Friday, Brunson did just that. It was a stunning move that showed just how motivated Brunson is to help keep this team’s core together, which was ultimately a key part of the reasoning behind his decision.
As ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported, the deal keeps the Knicks out of the second apron level of the salary cap. It stems from Brunson’s research of deals signed by the likes of Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady and Derek Jeter to help their respective franchises.
Brunson’s study of championship organizations and franchise stars — Patrick Mahomes’ Kansas City Chiefs, the Tom Brady New England Patriots and the Derek Jeter New York Yankees — gave him a blueprint for MVP-level players who structured contracts to give their teams the best chances at sustainable title runs.
It’s an incredible decision by Brunson and should help put the Knicks in a position to contend for a title in the coming years. This assist from Brunson will unquestionably go down as one of the most memorable in recent NBA history.