Jalen Brunson, Knicks Agree To Four-Year, $156.5M Extension

[RealGM Wiretap]

Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks have agreed to a four-year, $156.5 million contract extension. Brunson could have signed in 2025 for $269.1 million over five years, which is a difference of $113 million guaranteed and an annual average of $39.1 million against $53.8 million.

Brunson joined the Knicks in free agency in 2022 and was an All-NBA selection in 2024. 

Via Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

[NUMBERICA]

New York should build this man a statue for saving their franchise twice.

[MegaJ]

Brunson is Iverson 2.0 but with an amazing father instead of an unstoppable crossover.

[the_process]

Wow. He left 100M on the table so the Knicks could go build the team.

Listen, they went and got all his Nova buddies. They have built the team around him. This is awesome for the Knicks.

Brunson, my man, did they not teach you math at Villanova??

[ExplosionsInDaSky]

Wow, nothing but love and respect for Brunson. He's a class act.

[donemilio21]

It is effectively 3 years and $110-115M. With the new media deal and cap increases, his next contract starting in 2028-29 season (he will be entering his age 32 season) will in in excess of $300M with a first year salary of $70M.

[Pickled Prunes]

Wow. He left 100M on the table so the Knicks could go build the team.

Listen, they went and got all his Nova buddies. They have built the team around him. This is awesome for the Knicks.

Brunson, my man, did they not teach you math at Villanova??

Maybe, but that is far more than he expected to make when he entered the league and there is no guarantee that that money would be offered to him next season. You can call it magnanimous, but I call it prudent. He's an undersized guard and injuries happen. Lock in that generational money and see where you are the next time you are extension eligible. Nobody wants to se another IT situation!

[Starzz13]

Brunson is Iverson 2.0 but with an amazing father instead of an unstoppable crossover.

,

Ah yes. Rick Brunson. Well-known good guy.

[the_process]

Wow. He left 100M on the table so the Knicks could go build the team.

Listen, they went and got all his Nova buddies. They have built the team around him. This is awesome for the Knicks.

Brunson, my man, did they not teach you math at Villanova??

Maybe, but that is far more than he expected to make when he entered the league and there is no guarantee that that money would be offered to him next season. You can call it magnanimous, but I call it prudent. He's an undersized guard and injuries happen. Lock in that generational money and see where you are the next time you are extension eligible. Nobody wants to se another IT situation!

That's fair. But this contract he's on right is generational wealth. So he should now play for free?

I mean, it's his choice, and this is awesome for the Knicks. And I like the Nova guys. I'm just saying usually the goal is the biggest bag. But if that's not his goal, that's his choice. The PA might pull him aside though.

[elmdawgg69]

Brunson did this so he can sign a max a year earlier for his next contract. He’ll be young enough to be good and earn one. It’s risky for him to wait another year, sign a max, and then suck at the end of his contract. He did this sacrifice now to get paid bigly later.

[TheCage4]

Wait, a star player taking less money to enable his front office the flexibility to continually make the moves necessary to stay competitive in hopes of winning a title…

LeBron, you out there?

[Pickled Prunes]

Wow. He left 100M on the table so the Knicks could go build the team.

Listen, they went and got all his Nova buddies. They have built the team around him. This is awesome for the Knicks.

Brunson, my man, did they not teach you math at Villanova??

Maybe, but that is far more than he expected to make when he entered the league and there is no guarantee that that money would be offered to him next season. You can call it magnanimous, but I call it prudent. He's an undersized guard and injuries happen. Lock in that generational money and see where you are the next time you are extension eligible. Nobody wants to se another IT situation!

That's fair. But this contract he's on right is generational wealth. So he should now play for free?

I mean, it's his choice, and this is awesome for the Knicks. And I like the Nova guys. I'm just saying usually the goal is the biggest bag. But if that's not his goal, that's his choice. The PA might pull him aside though.

C'mon man, you know that's not what I'm saying. Jalen has made $60m thus far. He just added $130m in guaranteed money. Some of that might be "for the good of the team", but it's also insurance against catastrophic injury. And he didn't leave nearly $113m on the table because the mentioned 2025 deal was a year longer and, assuming health, he will sign another extension in two years with another 40% raise. If so, he will be giving up about $25m on the front end but possibly making more on the back end.

It's nice to treat him like a hero for this, but it's really just good business. If he stays healthy it will all come out in the wash. So yeah, I think they teach math at Villanova.

[the_process]

Maybe, but that is far more than he expected to make when he entered the league and there is no guarantee that that money would be offered to him next season. You can call it magnanimous, but I call it prudent. He's an undersized guard and injuries happen. Lock in that generational money and see where you are the next time you are extension eligible. Nobody wants to se another IT situation!

That's fair. But this contract he's on right is generational wealth. So he should now play for free?

I mean, it's his choice, and this is awesome for the Knicks. And I like the Nova guys. I'm just saying usually the goal is the biggest bag. But if that's not his goal, that's his choice. The PA might pull him aside though.

C'mon man, you know that's not what I'm saying. Jalen has made $60m thus far. He just added $130m in guaranteed money. Some of that might be "for the good of the team", but it's also insurance against catastrophic injury. And he didn't leave nearly $113m on the table because the mentioned 2025 deal was a year longer and, assuming health, he will sign another extension in two years with another 40% raise. If so, he will be giving up about $25m on the front end but possibly making more on the back end.

It's nice to treat him like a hero for this, but it's really just good business. If he stays healthy it will all come out in the wash. So yeah, I think they teach math at Villanova.

If I’m the Knicks, and business is business, I’m not very likely to offer Brunson a full max in three or four years. Whereas I would have next year. I think that’s the difference. But this is Brunson’s decision to make.

[NoStatsGuy]

Maybe, but that is far more than he expected to make when he entered the league and there is no guarantee that that money would be offered to him next season. You can call it magnanimous, but I call it prudent. He's an undersized guard and injuries happen. Lock in that generational money and see where you are the next time you are extension eligible. Nobody wants to se another IT situation!

That's fair. But this contract he's on right is generational wealth. So he should now play for free?

I mean, it's his choice, and this is awesome for the Knicks. And I like the Nova guys. I'm just saying usually the goal is the biggest bag. But if that's not his goal, that's his choice. The PA might pull him aside though.

C'mon man, you know that's not what I'm saying. Jalen has made $60m thus far. He just added $130m in guaranteed money. Some of that might be "for the good of the team", but it's also insurance against catastrophic injury. And he didn't leave nearly $113m on the table because the mentioned 2025 deal was a year longer and, assuming health, he will sign another extension in two years with another 40% raise. If so, he will be giving up about $25m on the front end but possibly making more on the back end.

It's nice to treat him like a hero for this, but it's really just good business. If he stays healthy it will all come out in the wash. So yeah, I think they teach math at Villanova.

you know.. hero or not. sometimes you do business and close contracts, that just make sense for both sides. its not always ruthless and cutthroat. even though obviously majority of the economy is. but does it really matter if you made 200 million or 320 million? nothing in life will be different other than the numbers on the sheet.

[Roy T]

I always disliked the guy, but cot dayum thats a good move. I‘ll put some respec on his name from now on.

[Roy T]

If I’m the Knicks, and business is business, I’m not very likely to offer Brunson a full max in three or four years. Whereas I would have next year. I think that’s the difference. But this is Brunson’s decision to make.

If Brunson tears his achilles or ACL, breaks a leg Ohr has some other season ending injury he‘ll end up like Eseiah Thomas in Boston.

[Elnegron]

Wait, a star player taking less money to enable his front office the flexibility to continually make the moves necessary to stay competitive in hopes of winning a title…

LeBron, you out there?

Lmao that was 2 centuries ago where there was no inflation, no nothing. LeBron also had 10x his endorsement deals. Bru son is not dumb amd have seen injuries in the past 2 seasons so he securing the bag now and could do so in 2 years

[Alex_84]

What a discount! Damn, Knicks are lucky af.

[Pickled Prunes]

That's fair. But this contract he's on right is generational wealth. So he should now play for free?

I mean, it's his choice, and this is awesome for the Knicks. And I like the Nova guys. I'm just saying usually the goal is the biggest bag. But if that's not his goal, that's his choice. The PA might pull him aside though.

C'mon man, you know that's not what I'm saying. Jalen has made $60m thus far. He just added $130m in guaranteed money. Some of that might be "for the good of the team", but it's also insurance against catastrophic injury. And he didn't leave nearly $113m on the table because the mentioned 2025 deal was a year longer and, assuming health, he will sign another extension in two years with another 40% raise. If so, he will be giving up about $25m on the front end but possibly making more on the back end.

It's nice to treat him like a hero for this, but it's really just good business. If he stays healthy it will all come out in the wash. So yeah, I think they teach math at Villanova.

If I’m the Knicks, and business is business, I’m not very likely to offer Brunson a full max in three or four years. Whereas I would have next year. I think that’s the difference. But this is Brunson’s decision to make.

And maybe he'll decide to go elsewhere in 3-4 years. If he's healthy and still playing at this level, he'll do fine. If not, he'll have made a quarter billion dollars. I'm not worried about him.

[haste10176]

Wow. He left 100M on the table so the Knicks could go build the team.

Listen, they went and got all his Nova buddies. They have built the team around him. This is awesome for the Knicks.

Brunson, my man, did they not teach you math at Villanova??

Not really 1. He could not get that 113m till a year later and 2. That deal would be a year longer. I think taking the money now and avoiding some sort of bad injury then not getting paid at all is the better option..