Jalen Brunson makes unprecedented move with Knicks
After months of speculation, All-Star point Jalen Brunson inked a four-year, $156.5 million contract extension with the New York Knicks.
Brunson’s decision puts him under a contract that is $113 million less than the five-year, $269 million deal that he was eligible to ink next offseason.
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The 27-year-old’s new contract, which begins in the 2025-26 campaign holds a $43.3 million player option for the fourth year. The extension saves the Knicks roughly $37.1 million over the next three years, but he’s eligible to ink a four-year, $323 million maximum extension in 2028 or a five-year, $418 million deal in 2029.
Although Brunson may hold the opportunity to garner that massive contract down the line, there remains uncertainty with lies ahead as injuries could play a factor in preventing him from earning that type of payday.
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However, the move gives the Knicks much-needed financial flexibility to construct a more balanced roster around him to compete for an NBA title. New York has been busy this offseason restructuring the roster to better compete in the Eastern Conference against the reigning champion Boston Celtics.
Since Brunson’s arrival on a four-year, $104 million deal two offseasons ago, he’s quickly cemented himself as the central piece to the puzzle behind his emergence as an All-Star talent. He’s coming off his best seasons, where he averaged a career-best 28.7 points, which included 11 40-point performances, while he became the first player in franchise history to have four straight playoff games with 40 points and five assists.
