Jalen Brunson has hovered around the fringes of MVP conversations since he moved to the New York Knicks in 2022. However, he has never been viewed as strong enough to seriously contend for the award, and in the 2025-26 season, he appears far removed from the race. There are others, including Jaylen Brown, who seem to have a better chance, at least according to a former three-time NBA champion.
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Some projection models this season do not even list Brunson among the top 10 candidates in the MVP race. Danny Green took it a step further today, stating that he thinks Brown is more deserving of being in MVP conversations than the New York Knicks guard.
Green’s assessment was less about the type of players either of them is and more about the strength of their supporting casts. The Knicks have a stacked roster, with stars like Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart, to name a few. Brown, meanwhile, is leading a team that is missing Jayson Tatum, a true MVP-level player.
“I would even put Jaylen Brown ahead of him,” Green stated on No Fouls Given. “Because the expectation for them was a lot lower.”
“He [Brown] has a lot less to work with in Boston than Jalen Brunson has. So, for them to be a 3 seed in the East, you’ve gotta give him a little bit more respect and flowers.”
It was an interesting argument from Green. He acknowledged that Brunson has been in the MVP conversation over the past couple of seasons, but given the expectations this year, he could not place him ahead of Brown.
The Boston Celtics guard certainly deserves more praise than he has received. Without Tatum, Brown has averaged a career high 29 points per game while also pulling down six rebounds and handing out nearly five assists a night.
On top of that, the Celtics sit at 15-11, just a few games behind the Knicks at 18-7. They have far exceeded expectations and look capable of making a legitimate playoff push. There are even reports suggesting that Tatum could return before the postseason.
At the end of the day, what Green said was not outrageous. Brunson has been excellent this season, as he has been throughout his career. Still, his ceiling may never quite reach the level required to win an MVP award.
That said, it is also unlikely that Brown wins it this season. Even if he finishes with better numbers than Brunson, contenders like Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander will almost certainly remain ahead of both.
But that does not make Green’s take any less provocative. The average fan may not realize how well Brown has played this season. It will be interesting to see whether he ultimately finishes ahead of Brunson in the MVP race.
