Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson is reportedly expected to leave in free agency and sign with the New York Knicks for huge money.
The New York Knicks were the focus of the 2022 NBA Draft after they made three trades in the first round. They managed to dump Kemba Walker’s contract off to the Detroit Pistons, but they did not have a single first-round player selected. Why was that? To free up money to make a run at Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson this offseason.
As it turns out, that is the expectation as free agency approaches on Thursday, June 30.
According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, it is “widely anticipated” that Brunson signs a four-year deal worth excess of $100 million with the Knicks. MacMahon points out that the Knicks still need to free up additional cap space and if the Mavericks will try to negotiate a sign-and-trade with New York.
Update: The Knicks have cleared some cap space with a trade that sends Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel to the Detroit Pistons.
Mavericks reportedly anticipate Jalen Brunson leaving for Knicks
In addition to MacMahon’s report, Tim Cato of The Athletic says that the Mavericks anticipate Brunson leaving and that it is a “certainty” that he joins the Knicks.
Brunson has been linked to the Knicks throughout the offseason. Leon Rose, New York’s president of basketball operations, was Brunson’s former agent. Not only that, but the team hired Brunson’s father, Rick, as an assistant coach on Tom Thibodeau’s staff.
This past season with the Mavericks, Brunson averaged 16.3 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 50.2-percent from the field.
Once free agency officially begins this Thursday, reporting indicates that Brunson will go to the Knicks. Of course, things can always change, especially considering the Knicks’ luck with securing free agents they want to sign.