Currently, the Knicks lead the series 2-0 against the Spurs in the NBA Finals, and Jalen Brunson is the main reason behind the success.
However, before the present situation, there was a time in 2022 when one phone call could have kept him in Dallas forever.
The Mavericks in 2022 actually had a real chance to keep Brunson before he became a free agent. He had just completed a season breakout with Luka Doncic, averaging 16.3 points and shooting at an efficiency rate of more than 50 percent.
His camp reached out twice to get a deal done, and both times Dallas looked the other way. It was not until after the trade deadline that the Mavericks finally came to the table, but by then the damage was already done.
What the Mavericks Offered Brunson in 2022
GettyHow the Mavericks Lost Jalen Brunson and Helped Build a Knicks Contender
They offered a four-year, $55 million extension. Brunson had clearly outgrown that number, and his camp made a legendary reaction to Dallas in 2022. With the Knicks now 2-0 in the Finals, that story hits different. Sure, Dallas knew it. Per Marc Stein, the response was not subtle:
“The Brunson camp basically laughed at them and said, ‘Uh, we’ll take our chances in free agency now, you guys had your chance.’… The Mavs still had the option at that point of picking up the phone and saying, ‘Jalen, we completely screwed this up, we are deeply sorry, we’ve disrespected you, we want to make this right, we’re going to offer you 150 over five.’ They even could have gone to 175 over five… They had the wherewithal to give Jalen Brunson a blow-away offer and they didn’t do it.”
And on what retaining Brunson could have meant for Dallas long term:
“If they re-signed him, they either could have kept him with Luka or their phone would have been ringing off the hook with trade offers and they would have had so much better optionality… losing Jalen Brunson for nothing when you combine that with how the Luka trade turned out, like I said, where I live there is a lot of pain when the Knicks are on television.”
“The Brunson camp basically laughed at them and said, ‘Uh, we’ll take our chances in free agency now, you guys had your
Dallas did not make that call. Brunson walked into free agency, and the Knicks signed him to a four-year, $104 million deal that summer.
How Jalen Brunson Proved the Mavericks Wrong
GettyKnicks’ Jalen Brunson Keeps Proving the Mavericks Wrong During NBA Finals Run
Since he moved to New York, Brunson has been the exact opposite of the player that Dallas wouldn’t allow him to be. He transformed himself into the face of the franchise, an All-Star, the MVP of the Eastern Conference Finals, and at present, he is a Finals point guard.
Later on, he agreed to a four-year, $156.5 million contract with the Knicks. He sacrificed over $100 million just to keep the roster intact, which indicates where his mind has been all along.
On the other hand, Dallas gave Brunson away for free, then they traded Doncic, and they have been rebuilding the team ever since. The last time they were truly a top-tier team was their 2024 Finals appearance, which they lost.
They have been faltering in their attempt to regain competitiveness ever since.
The Knicks, on the other hand, have been in the playoffs every single season since Brunson arrived in 2022. This year feels different though. New York is not just making up the numbers. They are 2-0 in the Finals, and for the first time in a long time, a Knicks championship does not feel like a dream.
Brunson has always been open about wanting to stay in Dallas. He loved the city, he loved the team. But the Mavericks did not think he was worth the investment, and now they are watching him lead New York to a championship. That $55 million decision may go down as the worst front office call of this era.
Knicks’ NBA Finals Run Revives Mavericks Decision That Keeps Getting Worse