Jalen Brunson has swiftly agreed to extend his tenure with the New York Knicks, a team that has been on the upswing since his arrival.
On Friday, Brunson signed a four-year contract extension with the Knicks, valued at approximately $156.5 million, according to a person familiar with the details.
Although Brunson could have secured a more lucrative deal by waiting another year, he opted for the extension on the first day it became available. This move also provides a financial advantage to the Knicks, whom he has led to the second round of the playoffs in both of his seasons in New York.
“Jalen has embraced every challenge since he’s come to New York and has been committed since day one to the vision and plan we set forth for the future of this team. Since Jalen joined us two years ago, he has consistently led by example and continues to show a willingness to sacrifice for this organization, his teammates, and everyone in the Knicks family,” Knicks President Leon Rose said in a statement.
While the Knicks did not disclose the terms of the deal, they were confirmed to The Associated Press under condition of anonymity and first reported by ESPN. Brunson’s agent revealed that his client chose the extension over a five-year, $269 million contract he could have received as a free agent in 2025.
Brunson is coming off one of the best seasons in franchise history, averaging 28.7 points and finishing fifth in the NBA MVP voting.
This performance exceeded expectations for a former second-round pick, who joined the Knicks in 2022 amid skepticism about whether a player who had mostly been a backup in Dallas was worth over $100 million.
Law Murray, NBA beat writer for The Athletic, noted that the second unit for Team USA men’s basketball might outshine the starting lineup as they aim for gold at Paris 2024.
Brunson’s new deal leaves no room for doubt.
The Knicks hadn’t reached the second round of the playoffs since 2013 until Brunson’s arrival. They nearly advanced further last season, losing to the Indiana Pacers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals after Brunson broke his hand in the second half.
Before his injury, he had an impressive postseason, scoring 40 points in five games, including a franchise playoff-record 47 points in Game 4 of the first round against Philadelphia. In his first All-Star season, he regularly received chants of “MVP! MVP!”
Brunson’s extension will commence in the 2025-26 season, and his decision to accept less money now should help the Knicks manage their payroll. This comes after a busy offseason in which they re-signed OG Anunoby to a five-year contract exceeding $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.