The New York Knicks are one of the six teams that remain undefeated in the NBA Cup. With the reigning In-Season tournament champions, the Lakers, being eliminated last Friday, the door is wide open for Tom Thibodeau’s side to notch some early silverware. Along with the Cup, New York stars Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart also have their sights set on the $500,000 prize money.
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Each player on the IST winning team will earn the cash reward, and Brunson, the de facto leader in New York, explained that he wants to win the tournament to help out his teammates on minimum contracts and two-way deals.
Hart, on the other hand, revealed very different intentions. The 29-year-old shares JB’s excitement about a potential IST Finals run, but he didn’t share his noble intentions.
When local reporter Kristian Winfield asked Hart about winning the cup to help his minimum-salaried teammates earn a bonus, he jokingly replied, “No. I wanna win cause I want a damn watch. The new AP.”
Jalen Brunson said he wanted to win the NBA Cup in part to help teammates on min. salaries and 2way deals to get a $500k payday.
Asked Josh Hart after practice today about winning the Cup so those teammates could get paid: "No. I wanna win cause I want a damn watch. The new AP."
— Kristian Winfield (@Krisplashed) December 2, 2024
It’s this type of banter that has helped the Knicks revitalize their roster chemistry. The Villanova boys often joke around with each other, and while Hart probably shares Brunson’s ideals, he might just be too sarcastic to admit it.
LeBron James echoed a similar sentiment before the 2023 IST Finals
The $500,000 cash bonus has been a significant motivator for teams. Last season’s champions, the Los Angeles Lakers, also witnessed their leader come out and fight for the prize money. Of course, LeBron James is a billionaire, so it’s hardly a drop in the ocean for him. But he knew that not all of his teammates shared his good fortunes.
Alex Fudge, one of the Lakers on a two-way contract last season, told Andscape writer Marc Spears about his conversation with the King. “He told me before the game and said, ‘This is for you, Fudge. This is for you, for D’Moi [Hodge]. This is for everybody.’ I trusted him and now we’re here. Just knowing that he is thinking about us is a blessing. Not too many people are like that. That just says who LeBron is.”
With his teammates on his mind, James led the Lakers to the inaugural NBA Cup win. Though it was Anthony Davis’ 40-point 20-rebound game that sealed the Finals win, LeBron was named tournament MVP after averaging 26.4 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists on 56.8% shooting from the field and 60.6% from deep.
Fast forward a year, and Jalen Brunson now wants to take up that role for his New York Knicks. Four of his teammates are currently on either minimum or two-way contracts, with five more bench players on sub-$2-million deals. An additional $500,000 will certainly go a long way for these athletes, and Brunson’s consideration for them is nothing if not good for morale.
