Getty Dallas Mavericks point-man Jalen Brunson drives to the hoop during a game against the New York Knicks,
This is about as far from a hot take as one can get, but the New York Knicks‘ point guard position has left a lot to be desired this season. After helping to spur the team’s incredible late-year push toward a top-four playoff seed in 2020-21, Derrick Rose has been largely out of commission in ’21-22.
Moreover, the Kemba Walker saga has been one of (if not the most) disappointing development of the campaign for the downtrodden Knicks.
Although a number of possible solutions to the point problem have been namechecked ahead of the NBA trade deadline — including Ben Simmons and, more recently, De’Aaron Fox — Dallas Mavericks floor general Jalen Brunson has gotten some pub as a trade target well.
And given his ties to the Knicks organization, not to mention the fact that he’s having a career year, it’s unsurprising that New York has interest in him.
However, a longtime league insider may have just dashed some hopes that Brunson is a legitimate option for Leon Rose and Co.
Stein Sounds off on Knicks-Mavs Trade Talks
In a January 31 update to his Stein Line Substack, Marc Stein broke down the Mavericks’ trade deadline prospects and expected approach. Being a New York guy, he made a point to address the Brunson situation, mentioning that the 25-year-old has fans in the Knicks organization.
Despite that, though, the noted hoops scribe reported that there really hasn’t been much going on between the Knicks and the Mavs where Brunson is concerned:
League sources say there are no active trade discussions between the Mavericks and the New York Knicks, for example, despite the Knicks’ well-chronicled interest in luring Brunson to Gotham. I’m told that the oft-suggested notion of trading Brunson to the Knicks to reacquire the 2023 first-round pick owed to New York to complete the Kristaps Porzingis trade is not currently under consideration in Dallas.
He went on to note that Brunson is regarded as “vital” to the Mavs’ plans to make some playoff noise this season. As such, it could be difficult for any team to facilitate his move out of the Big D.
To that end, another plugged-in hoops pundit has shed additional light on Brunson’s trade prospects.
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McMahon Throws Another Wet Blanket on the Brunson Chatter
During the January 31 episode of Zach Lowe’s podcast, The Lowe Post, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon also commented on the notion that Brunson could be dealt. His intel won’t please Knicks fans wanting a trade, however, as he reported that it would take a “what-the-bleep-are-they-thinking type of offer” to get the guard, per a league source.
That stands to reason, too, given the season that Brunson is having.
Through 50 appearances, the fourth-year pro is putting up 15.7 points, 5.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 0.9 steals per game — all of which are career-highs. He’s also shooting over 50% from the field, an incredible feat for a 6-foot-1 point-man and a mark that’s boosted by his incredible conversion rate within three feet of the hoop (71.7%) and a DeRozan-esque mid-range game.
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