Not Paying Jalen Brunson $55 Million Was Worse Than Trading Luka Doncic, Claims Former Maverick

The Luka Doncic trade continues to haunt the Dallas Mavericks. The Lakers’ dominance now knows no bounds, as they have climbed to the second position in the West. Meanwhile, the Mavs have fallen to the 10th spot and are dealing with significant injuries. Although Dallas still receives ridicule for the Doncic trade, Chandler Parsons believes letting Jalen Brunson walk in free agency was a graver mistake.

It’s easy to forget that Brunson once called the Mavericks home. The guard expressed interest in staying in Dallas for long, even negotiating an extension during the 2021-22 season. Brunson wanted $55 million for the next 4 years, but the Mavs rejected his request twice.

Brunson quickly outplayed that contract, and the Mavericks scrambled to offer him the amount he wanted. By then, he believed he was worth more, and in that offseason, he signed a 4-year, $104 million contract with the Knicks.

Parsons hasn’t forgotten about that despite all the talk surrounding Doncic. He took to FanDuel TV’s Run It Back to share his bold opinion regarding the Mavs’ negligence in bringing back Brunson.

“Not resigning Jalen Brunson to a $55 million extension could be worse than trading Luka Doncic,” Parsons proclaimed.

Brunson’s tenure with the Knicks has shown he wouldn’t have been able to spread his wings alongside Doncic. That doesn’t stop Parsons from believing Brunson was a bargain for that price point.

Dallas has very bad luck with players they let go performing great elsewhere. Kristaps Porzingis, Quentin Grimes and Derrick Jones Jr. are prime examples. However, none of them sting as much as the losses of Doncic and Brunson.

Mavericks has been in trouble since trading Doncic

Trouble continues to grow in Dallas since trading away Doncic. The Slovenian superstar is getting comfortable with the Lakers, and they have emerged as serious title contenders. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis is out for the foreseeable future, and the Mavericks may fall out of the play-in.

It doesn’t help that Brunson continues to boost the Knicks as the lead guard. He is on track to potentially add another all-NBA team appearance to his credits and maybe a deep playoff run.

To make matters worse, Grimes, who the Mavericks traded at the deadline, is shining with the Sixers. He recently put up a career-high 44 points in Philadelphia’s recent win against the Warriors.

Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison remains the subject of criticism. However, as poorly as his decisions have aged, his choices may carry a permanent negativity going forward.