A month before the Knicks sent five first-round picks across the East River to Brooklyn for another one of his college teammates, Jalen Brunson made a deal with himself and the Knicks.
Less money for him. More money for the Knicks to pay other stars.
Brunson signed a four-year, $156 million extension in May 2024, leaving $113 million on the table in order to help the Knicks build a competitive roster around him.
“Obviously this is no guarantee that we win a championship, right?” Brunson told reporters at a press conference announcing the extension. “This is just me wanting to do my part to help this team try and get one.”
It may go down as the greatest discount in the history of sports. It paid off handsomely for the Knicks and their fans, and Brunson was named Finals MVP on Saturday night after scoring 45 points in the Game 5 win over the Spurs to win the franchise’s first NBA title in 53 years.
