The New York Knicks are relevant once again in the NBA. A big reason for that is former coach Tom Thibodeau, who brought the Mecca out of the dark hole they were in for years. But even more than Thibs, Jalen Brunson has injected life into the franchise more than ever. JB went from a secondary scorer on Dallas to one of the Top 5 players in the league on New York.
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And it’s not like the Knicks don’t know what they have. They signed the now 29-year-old to a four-year $156.5 million contract in the summer of 2024, and while that sounds like a boatload of money, it was still less than what a Supermax option would have been. Why the holdout? Because Brunson wanted to spread the wealth around to help make the Knicks a stronger unit.
But as kind as that was, it was still a risky sacrifice. Players have gotten injured in the past and because of how these contracts work, there are at times chances that they don’t earn as much as if they were playing. Brunson is well aware of this. He spoke about his new contract during a recent interview with Vanity Fair.
“I’ve seen players wait and then get hurt, and then they’re at the mercy of the organization,” Brunson stated. “100% I sacrificed for the team. But most importantly, I made sure my family and I are taken care of.”
JB looking out for his family is the most important thing. The sacrifices an NBA superstar has to make is a reason they deserve the extreme cheddar they make from the league’s riches. And it’s not like he hasn’t earned it. Brunson has brought the Knicks to the playoffs three straight years, including an ECF appearance last year. Add in the Knicks NBA Cup win back in December, and they’re back in relevance.
“Obviously, we’d love for them to do right by me. I think anyone would. I feel like I sacrificed,” added Brunson. He certainly did. JB was entitled to another $113 million for a Super Max contract. Now, he’s eligible for a five-year/$417 million contract in 2029 once his current contract runs out.
The Knicks certainly should take care of him when it’s time for his next contract. It’ll certainly get easier if he adds an NBA Finals win to his resume.
The real pressure now shifts to the Knicks front office to prove that kind of loyalty goes both ways. When a star like Jalen takes less to build a winner, it quietly raises expectations for everyone else. It also sets a tone in the locker room that this isn’t just about getting paid, it’s about building something that lasts.
If New York turns this era into a Finals run, Brunson’s “sacrifice” won’t be remembered as a discount. It’ll be remembered as the moment the Knicks started something that hasn’t been felt in New York since the 70s. The raising of a championship banner.
