Despite all the moves in the free agency, including Klay Thompson and Paul George, Jalen Brunson managed to become the hottest topic of discussion in the NBA. Charles Barkley was merely one of the many personalities from the basketball world to commend Brunson for taking a potential $113 million pay cut. During his appearance on SportsCenter, Barkley explained what the point guard expects from the New York Knicks in return.
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After lodging the best performance of his career, Jalen Brunson was expected to sign a massive contract extension with the Knicks. However, it was widely assumed that the former Villanova Wildcats star would prefer the potential $259 million extension in 2025. Instead, the Southpaw took a massive pay cut and signed a team-friendly four-year, $156 million extension this offseason itself.
In a largely unprecedented financial concession to give roster flexibility to a contender, New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson has agreed on a four-year, $156.5 million extension, his agent Sam Rose of CAA tells ESPN — $113M less guaranteed than he’s eligible to receive in one… pic.twitter.com/DDJvz7TUlr
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 12, 2024
At first, Charles Barkley revealed being impressed by Brunson’s decision. After all the praise, the NBA legend tried explaining the thought process that must’ve gone through before signing the dotted lines. According to Barkley, Brunson must’ve taken note of the fact that the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers have championship-contending rosters for years to come. Hence, he must’ve chosen the opportunity to win a title by expecting the Knicks to construct a better squad by using the money he’s sacrificed.
“It’s awesome. First of all, he’s a great kid, a hell of a player. What he’s did for the Knicks, I think has shocked everybody. I knew he was a good player, but he’s been great since he got to New York.
But I think he realizes ‘if I take less money because the Celtics are not going anywhere, the Sixers have gotten better… For me to make an extra few million dollars and we not going to be competitive, nobody wants to do that’. I’m happy for that kid and kudos to him,” Barkley said.
While the Knicks have already added Mikal Bridges to the team, they will be expected to surround Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle with a few more vital pieces. Brunson’s contract has a direct influence on the Knicks’ shot at the title. Following the Boston Celtics, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Milwaukee Bucks, the New York Knicks could be a superteam in the making, all thanks to Jalen Brunson’s generosity.
The All-Star’s latest contract will expire after the 2028-2029 season. Following that, he will be eligible for a 10-year veteran supermax contract. If he is still a member of the New York side by then, he will hope that the Knicks appreciate his team-friendly decision in 2024 and reward him accordingly.
