Re: Mark Cuban: We Can Pay Jalen Brunson More Than Anybody, I Think He Wants To Stay

Post #1 » by **RealGM Wiretap** » Fri May 27, 2022 12:16 pm

After the Dallas Mavericks were eliminated from the playoffs in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, Mark Cuban was asked about the free agency of Jalen Brunson. Brunson emerged as a proven playoff performer, particularly in the first round against the Utah Jazz when Luka Doncic was injured.

"We can pay him more than anybody," said Cuban. "I think he wants to stay and that's most important."

Brunson will be an unrestricted free agent after the Mavericks decided not to offer him a four-year, $55.5 million extension. Brunson will certainly receive a salary far higher than that total once he reaches the open market.

The Mavericks resisted trade offers for Brunson at the deadline in hopes of keeping him long-term.

Via Marc Stein/Substack

Jabroni Lames · Post #2 » by **Jabroni Lames** » Fri May 27, 2022 1:38 pm

lol. You could have signed Brunson to a 4 year / $55.5M max extension last off-season. Probably even lower than that. But the dysfunctional Cuban/Harlabob/Nelson front office didn't even tender an offer to Brunson. Now you gotta pay up. Oof!

dirkdiggler4177 · Post #3 » by **dirkdiggler4177** » Fri May 27, 2022 1:55 pm

Jabroni Lames wrote:lol. You could have signed Brunson to a 4 year / $55.5M max extension last off-season. Probably even lower than that. But the dysfunctional Cuban/Harlabob/Nelson front office didn't even tender an offer to Brunson. Now you gotta pay up. Oof!

You understand that they did not make the offer because he would not have accepted. Like they talked with his agent and they said no, his value is higher. They don't give him a offer then knowing he would not accept.

liquidswords · Post #4 » by **liquidswords** » Fri May 27, 2022 2:49 pm

LOL that's the problem. Does anyone really think Brunson is worth $25M+ a year? That's going to be a big mistake.

TimeisIllmatic · Post #5 » by **TimeisIllmatic** » Fri May 27, 2022 4:43 pm

He's a good player but I think Dallas should definitely try to facilitate a sign and trade deal. Knicks, Pacers and Wizards are the teams that come to mind.

If DAL can get Myles Turner I think that's a perfect fit.

Laimbeer · Post #6 » by **Laimbeer** » Fri May 27, 2022 4:51 pm

But will you pay him more than anybody?

The guy is a bit overrated at this point and I fear it will be the Pistons overpaying.

irish22022 · Post #7 » by **irish22022** » Fri May 27, 2022 7:00 pm

The suns and Mavs both put themselves into a terrible position by not extending. 4/55 for brunson is exactly his value which in the NBA means you're getting a good deal. Are they really gonna give this guy 4/100 now? Because someone will. The Mavs will be so over the cap with such a terrible roster. Over performing as a team can often cost the team a couple years. Happened with Portland, too. They thought they were closer than they were, overpaid, and then squandered it.

Jabroni Lames · Post #8 » by **Jabroni Lames** » Fri May 27, 2022 10:46 pm

dirkdiggler4177 wrote:
Jabroni Lames wrote:lol. You could have signed Brunson to a 4 year / $55.5M max extension last off-season. Probably even lower than that. But the dysfunctional Cuban/Harlabob/Nelson front office didn't even tender an offer to Brunson. Now you gotta pay up. Oof!

You understand that they did not make the offer because he would not have accepted. Like they talked with his agent and they said no, his value is higher. They don't give him a offer then knowing he would not accept.

Uh, no. Brunson and his reps were open to it, and pissed off that the Mavs didn't engage in negotiations. Quotes are directly from his dad.

Dallas could have signed Brunson to a four-year extension for as much as $55.5 million before the season, but the Mavs didn't offer it then nor did they engage in negotiations with Brunson's representatives. He was coming off a disappointing first playoff series of his career, as former Mavs coach Rick Carlisle drastically cut Brunson's minutes in the final few games of the seven-game exit against the LA Clippers.

"It sat with me all summer," Brunson said at the start of training camp.

Nor were the Mavs willing to make that commitment midseason, when Brunson had transitioned from sixth man to starter and was thriving. An extension would have handcuffed the Mavs from including Brunson if a trade for a star materialized. Dallas offered the extension immediately after the Feb. 10 trade deadline, when Mavs forward Dorian Finney-Smith signed an identical deal.

"I told him once the season is started, that's it," Rick Brunson says. "I told the Mavericks, 'Once the season is started, there's no contract talk,' and I went back against my word. In January, I thought he did enough where he deserved [the extension]. I said, 'Hey, take the money, man.' He wants security. He wants to live here. And they declined.

"He didn't turn s--- down. Y'all declined first. When y'all came back to him, we said, 'Hey, we just want to finish out the season and go from there.'"

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33801390/nba-playoffs-2022-jalen-brunson-star-turn-dallas-mavericks-massive-free-agency-implications

dirkdiggler4177 · Post #9 » by **dirkdiggler4177** » Sat May 28, 2022 6:52 am

Jabroni Lames wrote:
dirkdiggler4177 wrote:
Jabroni Lames wrote:lol. You could have signed Brunson to a 4 year / $55.5M max extension last off-season. Probably even lower than that. But the dysfunctional Cuban/Harlabob/Nelson front office didn't even tender an offer to Brunson. Now you gotta pay up. Oof!

You understand that they did not make the offer because he would not have accepted. Like they talked with his agent and they said no, his value is higher. They don't give him a offer then knowing he would not accept.

Uh, no. Brunson and his reps were open to it, and pissed off that the Mavs didn't engage in negotiations. Quotes are directly from his dad.

Dallas could have signed Brunson to a four-year extension for as much as $55.5 million before the season, but the Mavs didn't offer it then nor did they engage in negotiations with Brunson's representatives. He was coming off a disappointing first playoff series of his career, as former Mavs coach Rick Carlisle drastically cut Brunson's minutes in the final few games of the seven-game exit against the LA Clippers.

"It sat with me all summer," Brunson said at the start of training camp.

Nor were the Mavs willing to make that commitment midseason, when Brunson had transitioned from sixth man to starter and was thriving. An extension would have handcuffed the Mavs from including Brunson if a trade for a star materialized. Dallas offered the extension immediately after the Feb. 10 trade deadline, when Mavs forward Dorian Finney-Smith signed an identical deal.

"I told him once the season is started, that's it," Rick Brunson says. "I told the Mavericks, 'Once the season is started, there's no contract talk,' and I went back against my word. In January, I thought he did enough where he deserved [the extension]. I said, 'Hey, take the money, man.' He wants security. He wants to live here. And they declined.

"He didn't turn s--- down. Y'all declined first. When y'all came back to him, we said, 'Hey, we just want to finish out the season and go from there.'"

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33801390/nba-playoffs-2022-jalen-brunson-star-turn-dallas-mavericks-massive-free-agency-implications

There is absolutely no way Brunson representative said to the Mavs in January they will sign for 55/4 years.