Jalen Brunson has swiftly committed to extending his tenure with the New York Knicks, a team that has seen significant improvement since his arrival.
Brunson signed a four-year contract extension with the Knicks on Friday, which a source familiar with the details revealed to be roughly $156.5 million.
Although Brunson could have secured a more substantial deal by waiting an additional year, he opted for the extension on the first day it was available. This decision benefits the Knicks financially, as Brunson has been instrumental in leading the team to the second round of the playoffs in both of his seasons in New York.
“Jalen has embraced every challenge since he arrived in New York and has been committed from day one to the vision and plan we set for the future of this team. Since joining us two years ago, he has consistently led by example and continues to demonstrate a willingness to sacrifice for this organization, his teammates, and everyone in the Knicks family,” stated Knicks President Leon Rose.
While the official terms of the deal were not disclosed by the Knicks, they were confirmed to The Associated Press under condition of anonymity and initially reported by ESPN. Brunson’s agent indicated he chose the extension over a potential five-year, $269 million contract he could have pursued as a free agent in 2025.
Brunson is coming off one of the best seasons in Knicks history, averaging 28.7 points and finishing fifth in NBA MVP voting.
This performance exceeded expectations when the former second-round pick joined the Knicks in 2022, amid doubts about whether a player who had been mostly a backup in Dallas was worth over $100 million.
According to Law Murray, NBA beat writer for The Athletic, Team USA men’s basketball’s second unit, featuring Brunson, is expected to outshine even their starting lineup as they compete for gold in Paris 2024.
Brunson’s new deal leaves no room for questioning. The Knicks had not advanced to the second round of the playoffs since 2013 until Brunson led them there in his first season. Last season, they came close to progressing further, losing to the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals after Brunson suffered a hand injury.
Before his injury, Brunson had a remarkable postseason, scoring 40 points in five different games, including a franchise playoff-record 47 points in Game 4 of the first round against Philadelphia, and received regular chants of “MVP! MVP!” during his first All-Star season.
Brunson’s extension will start in the 2025-26 season, and his decision to accept a smaller deal now should aid the Knicks in managing their payroll after a busy offseason in which they re-signed OG Anunoby to a five-year contract worth over $210 million and acquired Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets.
The 27-year-old Brunson has averaged 26.5 points in his two seasons with the Knicks.