Jalen Brunson is the new king of New York City.
The New York Knicks point guard led the team to its first championship in over 50 years, beating the odds, proving the doubters wrong, and doing so while taking a massive discount.
Brunson left $113 million on the table when he signed his new contract to help the Knicks put together the juggernaut of a roster they had on their way to the NBA Finals.
He was expected to get his money in his new contract. However, now that LeBron James
has joined a behemoth in the Philadelphia 76ers, he may have to give the Knicks another hometown discount.
Jalen Brunson may have to give the Knicks another discount
Talking on “The Hoop Collective,” ESPN insider Vincent Goodwill predicted that Brunson would finally cash in on a big deal, even if that could ultimately cost the team Karl-Anthony Towns:
“Jalen Brunson is going to come get all of his money. Every bit that he, (I) won’t say sacrifice,” Goodwill said.
That said, the Knicks are clearly no longer the team to beat in the Eastern Conference, which raises an uncomfortable question: Will Brunson want to leave money on the table again to win another ring and boost his legacy?
You rarely see players give out discounts, much less when they’re rising stars in their prime. Doing it more than once would be almost unprecedented.
Then again, Brunson has already shown that he’s more than willing to take one for the team, especially if that means keeping the band together.
NBA players are wealthy and, if they’re smart, they can be set for life, not even touching their endorsement money.
Brunson is now looking at a bit of a crossroads, and while no one will judge him if he decides to take all of the money he can get, taking another pay cut would make him even more of a New York legend.