Jalen Brunson explains why he signed extension this offseason

Jalen Brunson explains why he signed extension this offseason

On July 12, New York Knicks star point guard Jalen Brunson was eligible to sign a four-year extension worth $157 million, though it would’ve been over $100 million less than what he would’ve been able to sign next season.

Brunson, who turns 28-years-old on Aug. 31, decided to take the money now–a rare pay cut that the majority of star players would not take, even though it was the max that he could have signed.

He recently opened up to Stefan Bondy of the New York Post regarding his decision to sign the extension this offseason instead of waiting.

Priority A, I secured I think a decent amount of money to support myself and my family, my extended family in the current time. I didn’t have to wait a year,” Brunson said. “Like I said, a lot can happen in a year. Everyone in this room has seen a lot happen in a year when players wait out. So that’s one thing. No. 2 — I would love to be here, I want to be here the rest of my career. And winning trumps everything I do individually. Like I said, when you win as a team, individuals can grow from that. That’s at the front of my mind at all times — what can I do to win?”

The Knicks were able to re-unite Brunson with former Villanova teammate Mikal Bridges, acquiring him from the Brooklyn Nets for four unprotected first-round picks; that came over a year after trading for Josh Hart and signing Donte DiVincenzo, his two other Villanova teammates that played big parts in earning a top-3 seed in 2023-24.

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Brunson’s right. Anything can happen in a year–he could get hurt or not be as effective as he was during his career season. He posted 28.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.7 assists, shooting 47.9 percent from the floor, 40.1 percent from 3-point range and 84.7 percent from the free-throw line in 77 games. The star guard finished in the top-5 in MVP and most improved player voting while making second-team All-NBA.

He’s willing to take less for the next four years so the Knicks can build a contender around him. That’s smart and selfless, though that’s also a serious ramification of the new CBA with the two aprons. He’s not going to be the only star player taking a big cut; it’s going to happen around the NBA, at some point or another–whether it’s favorable for player empowerment or not.

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