2024-07-13 08:40:02
Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
Two years after signing with the New York Knicks and turning the team into a top contender in the Eastern Conference, star point guard Jalen Brunson has been rewarded for his efforts.
The Knicks and Brunson reached an agreement on a four-year, $156.5 million contract extension on Friday, agent Sam Rose told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Brunson had signed a four-year, $104 million contract with New York prior to the 2022-23 season and is widely regarded as one of the best free-agent additions of the modern era.
Brunson would have had the chance to sign a five-year, $269 million extension if he waited until next summer, but he made a very respectable move by signing a more team-friendly deal this offseason. The Athletic’s Fred Katz reported on July 8 that Brunson was considering signing for less money in order to give the Knicks more cap space going forward.
The 27-year-old is coming off a star-making season in which he led the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, where the team fell to the Indiana Pacers in seven games. New York defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in six games in the first round despite being without star forward Julius Randle. Brunson suffered a fractured hand in Game 7 against the Pacers that required surgery.
Brunson shouldered a massive workload on offense, averaging 32.4 points in the postseason. He had a stretch of four straight 40-point games at one point, the first player to accomplish that feat in the playoffs since Michael Jordan. He also averaged 7.5 assists and 3.3 rebounds in the playoffs.
In the regular season, Brunson made 77 starts and averaged career highs of 28.7 points and 6.7 assists while shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 40.1 percent from three-point range. He earned his first career All-Star appearance and had many advocating for him to be included in the MVP conversation.
The immediate impact that Brunson made with the Knicks has helped New York once again become an attractive destination for star players.
The Knicks were expected to be aggressive this offseason in hopes of building a championship contender, and they made a major splash by acquiring Brunson’s Villanova teammate Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets to add alongside fellow alums Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo. The team also retained swingman OG Anunoby on a five-year, $212.5 million deal, creating a roster that can contend for a title next season.
Signing Brunson to an extension was the next step in what has already been a strong offseason for New York, and the floor general certainly will be motivated to prove that the team made the right decision to commit to him with a long-term deal.
