There was a general perception that the Knicks may have overpaid point guard Jalen Brunson last summer when they signed him to a four-year, $104MM contract. Instead, he has been outperforming his nine-figure deal to an extent that’s rare for New York sports stars, according to Howie Kussoy of The New York Post (subscriber link).
Kussoy points to the contracts signed by various players across the four major North American sports leagues as examples, writing that most haven’t lived up to the lofty expectations of their enormous paydays.
Brunson, meanwhile, had an All-Star-caliber debut season with New York and has been the Knicks’ best player in the playoffs, averaging 26.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.5 steals on .457/.300/.915 shooting through 10 games (39.8 minutes). Kussoy states that Brunson has the “inside track” on becoming the best free agent addition in team history.
Here’s more from the Atlantic:
- Knicks reserve Immanuel Quickley has been ruled out of Friday’s Game 6 in Miami, head coach Tom Thibodeau told reporters, including Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News (Twitter link). The third-year guard is still battling a left ankle sprain and had previously been listed as doubtful. Quickley will miss his third straight game with the injury.
- The 2023 free agent class isn’t the strongest, particularly the group of players who might be available for the Raptors‘ mid-level exception or less, according to Eric Koreen of The Athletic, who lists 25 players Toronto could target. Among the top candidates Koreen considers realistic are Bruce Brown, Donte DiVincenzo, Nickeil Alexander-Walker (for part of the MLE, not full) and Josh Richardson. Brown and DiVincenzo hold team-friendly player options for 2023/24, while Alexander-Walker will be restricted if Minnesota gives him a qualifying offer — only Richardson is an unrestricted free agent at the moment.
- Celtics guard Marcus Smart was thrilled with head coach Joe Mazzulla‘s adjustment of inserting Robert Williams into the starting lineup for Game 6, per Jamal Collier of ESPN. “I was ecstatic about it,” Smart said. “To have Rob in there, he changes the game a lot … that just goes to show you, Joe is learning. Just like all of us. I know he’s been killed a lot. Rightfully so. He needs to make some adjustments, and he did that. And that’s all you can ask for, just continue to be the best he can be. It takes everybody; it’s a full team effort.” Williams recorded 10 points, nine rebounds and two blocks, and the Celtics were plus-18 in his 28 minutes.
- It was reported in April that Sixers owner Josh Harris had reached an agreement to buy the NFL’s Washington Commanders. Harris and the team released a joint statement on Friday officially announcing the sale, as Sam Robinson of Pro Football Rumors relays. The agreement still has to be approved by the other NFL owners, but that’s considered a formality.
Kudos to Brunson, also says a lot about how bad his coaches were in Dallas in that they couldn’t unlock this performance out of him.
You think it might have been partly that Luka had the ball all the time?
No?
Jalen Brunson turned the Knicks around. Was the Knicks MVP and should have been an All-Star instead of Julius Randle. He’s so clutch! Get’s in the paint and scores almost every time in the 4th quarter. Incredible.
My argument wasnt about an overpay; it was if it was necessary to use that money, with the roster they had, instead of doing other things and using their assets differently, even though he was always a fit with Randle and Barrett. It is interesting to note they were better with him off the floor this year. Still, they just need 1 or 2 pieces from here, and are 1 of many teams in this parity league
Really? It was the general perception that Brunson was overpaid? Among a group of 2k’ers perhaps. Not even a significant minority view among people with knowledge of both the sport and the NBA cap/payroll/FA system.
@KnickerbockerAl
Come out, come out…wherever you are!
I told you I would save this: link to hoopsrumors.com
Lesson to learn: Don’t guarantee anything.
They still are better ….. why wouldn’t anyone feel good about playing the 8th seed. Being better doesn’t mean you will play better. Ask the Bucks …..
Biggest difference was the bench. Depth didn’t show up. No Quickley and Grimes was even banged up. He didn’t have a good series. You need everyone right. I’m not going to make excuses. I know exactly what happened.
Heat played better …… Knicks still better imo with a better future. We’ll see where Heat end up. And I mean future. Cause this is our third yr of a rebuild.
Out coached, bench didn’t play. And I’d say Heat D was probably biggest reasons …..
All three can be fixed for a young team. Heat deserve credit, like I’ve been saying. Try reposting those quotes ……
Even if you’re the greatest regular season team ever facing the worst #8 seed ever, you don’t make guarantees and plans for the ECF until your team has done something.
And you’re right that you need everyone right. From what I saw, if Herro and Oladipo were right and playing, Jimmy would’ve played Game 2, the Heat would’ve swept this series.
As for going forward, last I checked, RJ Barrett is the only one of your “Big Three” that is younger than Herro and Bam. Brunson and Randle are both older than Bam and Herro. And I guess you haven’t paid attention to anything beyond your Knicks, but anyone that actually pays attention to the rest of the NBA, even just the Eastern Conference, they’d know that the Heat are always there for the bulk of Pat Riley’s time here as Coach and then GM/President, having past the torch to Spo. You already saw that you shouldn’t have assumed guaranteed success in this series; do you really want to assume that the Knicks will be better than the Heat going forward…especially when 2/3rds of your “Big Three” is older than two of the foundational building blocks we have?
And not a surprise that a KNICKS FAN feels that his team is better than the Heat going forward. During the Heat’s real Big Three era of LeBron, D-Wade and Bosh, you Knicks fans were saying that you would all take the Knicks “Big Three” of Meeeeelo, Amare and Chandler…no matter how ridiculous the rest of the planet found that. And don’t forget one other tidbit that’s a factor in this. The Heat come with their coaching staff that has outcoached Thibs and his group every single time. And the Heat come with their culture, while the Knicks come with has-beens who never won anything sitting on the sideline…and of course the guy we love to ridicule in Miami – John “Palmetto Expressway” Starks.
As for your posts where you were giving the Heat credit, yes you did them, but those came after the fact – after you saw the Heat weren’t as easy as you thought and were not laying down for the Knicks or anyone, and that, like I said, when you play against the Heat, you’re not just playing against the players on the court, but also against their coaching staff and their culture. That also isn’t going anywhere.
But feel free to assume that the Knicks are better and will be better going forward. I’ll just keep rooting for the team that has now been in the ECF in 3 of the last 4 years – only year not was when they lost to the eventual NBA Champion in the earlier rounds…a team that the Heat have beaten 2 of the 3 postseason meetings during that team’s current run with the best player on the planet. Always great to see people make assumptions that their teams are a lock when they have to go through the Heat. It makes us Heat fans chuckle because, was mentioned even by Miami-hating E!SPN last night, “Doubt the Heat to your own peril,”
Never kick a man when his team has just been dredged. Those obnoxious quotes aside, it’s good to see old fashioned passion in a fan. I think new ownership will have to happen for a franchise comeback, but I haven’t been sold on the Knicks since a few minutes before game 7 a long time ago.
I can take it, but I appreciate that.
This rebuild is having success cause Dolan has stayed out of it. Most don’t know about Dolan. Knicks definitely due for a major move now. They are ready for next step ….
And never assume that your team is walking through any team in the Playoffs – especially a team that everyone who pays attention for more than two seconds knows that the team is well coached, brings everything they have and has a culture that pushes them beyond the talent levels on the roster.
Let me give you some stats ….
And regardless it was a 2 pt gm with a min to go. And Heat we’re not winning gm7 at MSG.
Heat had 25 ast to Knicks 13. Lowry alone had 9 ast.
Heat shot 33/82. Knicks shot 27/71.
Heat had 11/TO. Knicks had 18/TO
That’s 11 more FG than Knicks. Thats 7 less TOs than Knicks.
Heat had 38 pts in the paint. Knicks had 20.
And in the end. Heat won by 4 pts. Sadly what this tells me. Is the Heat wanted it more.
Randle finally was right about something …….
We are a rebuilding team. With a bright future. Finally.
It’s easy to say that the Heat wouldn’t have won a Game 7 in MSG when we will never know. But funny to say after the Heat already beat the team that supposedly was guaranteed to be in the ECF after it was the Heat that they were facing in the semis. Keep assuming that any team is guaranteed anything when they face the Heat. See how that works out…especially when Thibs is the coach you’re following against Spo who has outcoached Thibs many times.
As for Randle, nice statement about rebuilding, but don’t forget that he’s actually older (and so is Brunson) than two foundational pieces for the Heat – Bam and Herro. And of course, as it is well known throughout the NBA, the Heat always find players and a guy. Pat Riley is good at doing that. I don’t understand why no organization was smart enough to give Riley the chance to run their franchise years ago.
Even if Brunson had been an overpay, he’s the type of overpay with minimal risk as a guy who can efficiently score and distribute, possesses a strong work ethic and solid on-court leadership, is willing to take on a variety of roles, etc. And, for a team desperate for even adequate PG play, he was a no-brainer as a fit and upgrade.
Where teams get into trouble is with potentially overpaying guys that: demand to be “the guy” without being good enough to fill that role, have a bad motor, have a poisonous locker room presence, possess low BBIQ and/or bad shot selection, are complete sieves on defense while possessing other negative qualities, etc.
The big question moving forward for the Knicks is where Randle fits into the equation. Because, unfortunately, he does possess several of those undesirable qualities even if the raw talent is tantalizing.
First I said one man team not beating us. That’s not a guarantee. Cause the better team clearly won. And I posted this as the series went on. Not when I knew. Cause I still believe we are as good or better. Heat won gm 6 and could easily have lost. Then we never hear from your ares.
But it’s all good. I will never apologize for supporting the Knicks.
Don’t assume to know me. I never assume about any team. Like I said. Anyone would be overjoyed to play the Heat instead of the Bucks.
You really don’t want to get in a match about basketball with me. Stick to Marlins.
Herro a guy who don’t play D is 23. Bam is 26 in July. Hilarious lol …. we don’t have a big three. Only one wh has proven to be a franchise player on the Knicks is Brunson. And he is 26.
Currently the Knicks are the 8th youngest team in NBA. And only the Thunder are a younger Playoff team.
And the Heat are the 2nd OLDEST team in the NBA. Dude you don’t want me …… I’m the Real basketball guy.
link to nba.com