Knicks ‘all in’ to try and sign Jalen Brunson
Rival NBA executives around the league believe the New York Knicks are “all in” to try and sign guard Jalen Brunson in free agency this summer following their draft night trades with more moves expected. The Knicks also hired his dad, Rick, as an assistant coach, and team president Leon Rose was his former agent.
Source: Michael Scotto @ HoopsHype
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Brad Townsend @townbrad
Updated with reaction from Mavericks president Nico Harrison:
Mavs trades overshadowed by Knicks’ maneuvering and looming battle for Jalen Brunson dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 3:26 AM
Ian Begley @IanBegley
Talked about the Knicks’ trades and the implications of a Jalen Brunson signing with @CWilliamson44, who had the best Draft Night suit at Barclays on Thursday: pic.twitter.com/injeanXIlH – 12:22 AM
Marc Berman @NYPost_Berman
In a nutshell, more draft capital for a Donovan Mitchell-type trade and to attach to a Nerlens Noel dump. That will give them plenty of cap space for Jalen Brunson. All their main guys were gone at 11. – 12:16 AM
Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
If the Knicks land Jalen Brunson — a rising 25-year old point guard that fills a decades-long need — tonight’s deals make sense. If they don’t, the decision to move out of the first round of this draft could be a disaster. – 10:22 PM
Brad Townsend @townbrad
Knicks are trying like heck to clear cap room (an estimated $16-18M to this point) for their pursuit of Jalen Brunson. Certainly getting Dallas’ attention, but I don’t get the sense the Mavericks are worried.
Yet. – 9:52 PM
Josh Newman @Joshua_Newman
Half my life has been spent watching Knicks brass overpay players and make odd decisions with cap space.
I am emotionally ready to see this end with Jalen Brunson getting wildly overpaid. – 9:49 PM
Wes Goldberg @wcgoldberg
I like Jalen Brunson, but the Knicks traded out of the lottery for Jalen Brunson? – 9:48 PM
James Edwards III @JLEdwardsIII
By giving DET Jalen Duren, who the organization has fallen in move with in the pre-draft process (and before), the Knicks now have the space to make a run at Jalen Brunson because Detroit took Kemba’s contract. Pistons able to eat bad contracts because of Grant trade.
All win. – 9:41 PM
Ryan McDonough @McDNBA
The Knicks will move off of Kemba Walker’s $9.16m salary while also removing a late Lottery pick’s salary from their cap sheet
It’s a good start toward creating the $20m+ in cap space – to pursue Jalen Brunson and other top free agents – but they still have work to do – 9:38 PM
Michael Pina @MichaelVPina
a max contract for jalen brunson is the knicks big draft day win – 9:15 PM
Kristian Winfield @Krisplashed
Knicks fans, yes, no or unsure to Jalen Brunson? – 8:54 PM
Fred Katz @FredKatz
Initial thought about the Pistons taking Jaden Ivey fifth:
I wonder if this takes them out of the Jalen Brunson market, considering they can use all that cap room elsewhere and they now have Ivey & Cunningham paired up. – 8:30 PM
Jeff Goodman @GoodmanHoops
Not easy to find a “guy” in 2nd round. Here are some of the best over the last decade:
Nikola Jokic, 41st (2014)
Draymond Green, 35th (2012)
Khris Middleton, 39th (2012)
Jalen Brunson, 33rd (2018)
Malcolm Brogdon, 36th (2016)
Dillon Brooks, 45th in (2017) – 4:51 PM
StatMuse @statmuse
The all second round draft pick team:
PG — Malcolm Brogdon
SG — Jalen Brunson
SF — Khris Middleton
PF — Draymond Green
C — Nikola Jokic
How far would this squad go in the playoffs? pic.twitter.com/1CwEB7i4kc – 2:31 PM
More on this storyline
Keep an eye on the Knicks potentially waiving Taj Gibson to create more cap space for a run at Brunson, league sources told HoopsHype. Gibson, a beloved player for Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, has a $5.2 million non-guaranteed salary for next season. -via HoopsHype / June 24, 2022
Tim MacMahon: Mavs GM Nico Harrison said it was “expected” that the Knicks, who are known to have strong interest in Jalen Brunson, would make moves to create cap space tonight. On hopes of re-signing Brunson: “Until he tells us that he doesn’t want to be here, we’re optimistic.” -via Twitter @espn_macmahon / June 24, 2022
Marc Stein: The Knicks figure to make at least one more move to continue creating salary-cap space … full speed ahead on their bid to try to pry Jalen Brunson away from the Mavericks. -via Twitter @TheSteinLine / June 23, 2022
