Context:

Jalen Brunson, initially drafted by the Dallas Mavericks, became a key player for the team and expressed a desire to remain with them, even seeking a contract extension before the 2021-22 season. Despite Dallas's initial indications of wanting to keep him and offering a competitive contract, organizational changes and a delay in offering an extension led to Brunson entering free agency. The New York Knicks, leveraging connections like the relationship between Brunson's father and coach Tom Thibodeau, offered him a more attractive contract, ultimately swaying him to join their team. The Knicks' offer of $104 million over four years was substantially higher than the Mavericks' initial proposal, and Brunson's decision to leave was not financially motivated but rather influenced by these connections and the chance to lead a contending team. Now, Brunson is proving his worth by playing a crucial role in the Knicks' playoff pursuits, making significant contributions in critical games, including their victory over the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Dive Deeper:

• Jalen Brunson, drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 2018, emerged as a critical player by the end of his tenure, achieving career-high stats in the 2021-22 season with an average of 16.3 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game.

• Despite expressing a strong desire to stay with the Mavericks and seeking a contract extension of four years for $55 million, organizational changes and the team's decision to evaluate the roster delayed the offering process.

• The New York Knicks capitalized on this delay by offering Brunson a lucrative four-year, $104 million contract, nearly doubling what he hoped for with Dallas, and leveraging personal connections, including his father's relationship with Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau.

• Brunson's decision to leave Dallas was not driven by monetary gain, as the Mavericks were unaware of the Knicks' offer and were willing to match it; instead, his choice was influenced by the opportunity to be the top option on a promising Knicks team.

• Now a key player for the Knicks, Brunson is excelling in the playoffs, notably scoring 29 points in an overtime victory against the Boston Celtics, showcasing the value of his acquisition and contributing significantly to the team's aspirations for a deep playoff run.

• The New York Knicks took Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinal round against the Boston Celtics in thrilling fashion. The Knicks won, 108-105, in overtime in Boston as Jalen Brunson and O.G. Anunoby each scored 29 points for New York. 

• Brunson once again made some huge plays to help the Knicks get the win, and his strong postseason continues. In hindsight, the massive payday for Brunson paid off big time, even though he was a star with the Dallas Mavericks before coming to New York. 

• It's been a tough season for Mavericks fans, who saw the franchise trade Luka Doncic while Brunson reaches new heights.

• If that wasn't bad enough, Brunson never wanted to leave the Mavericks in the first place.

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• Why didn’t the Mavericks keep Jalen Brunson?

  Brunson played the first four seasons of his career with the Mavericks after being selected in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft. By the end of his Dallas tenure, Brunson was a key piece.

• In 2021-22, Brunson averaged 16.3 points per game with 4.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds, each of which were career-highs at that point. With Brunson hitting free agency that summer, all signs pointed to him staying in Dallas, especially after what Mark Cuban said.

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

• On top of that, Brunson revealed his desire to stay during an episode of the All The Smoke podcast in 2024. 

• "I really did want to stay in Dallas," Brunson said. "I think before my fourth season in Dallas, my last season in Dallas, we tried to extend our contract. Whatever we can get, the most we can get was, like, 4 years and $55 million. We wanted to do that. I wanted to stay there."

• Dallas wanted to try and land a co-star for Luka Doncic, and the franchise wanted time to evaluate the roster, per MacMahon. 

• "The explanation was that Dallas had just undergone massive organizational change -- hiring a new head coach and general manager -- and wanted time to evaluate the roster. Harrison had said they wanted to wait until training camp opened in September. When that time came, the Mavs still didn't offer the extension," MacMahon wrote. 

• MORE: Knicks' Jalen Brunson's 4th-quarter stats make NBA history as 'best closer in the game' clutch star

• So, the 2021-22 season began with a lot of question marks around Brunson's future. By season's end, there was no secret he had earned a massive pay raise. 

• The Knicks had a lot of compelling ties. Jalen's father, Rick Brunson, had known Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau for a long time, even dating back to Rick's days in the NBA. 

• Still, the Mavs did what they could to free up cap space to keep Brunson, and MacMahon reported that Cuban thought a "fair" offer for Brunson was in the five-year, $105 million range. 

• However, the Knicks offered more, giving Brunson ultimately a four-year, $104 million deal. 

• Moreover, Cuban even admitted that the Mavs never were told of the Knicks' offer. 

• "We didn't know what the bid was," Cuban said. "They never gave us a number. Knowing the numbers now, I would've paid it in a heartbeat, but he wouldn't have come anyway. There's just no possible way that it was about money."

• Perhaps the Knicks ties were too much for Brunson to overlook. Maybe the chance to be the top option on a contending team was another compelling point for Brunson. 

• At the end of the day, the Knicks gave Brunson $25 million a year on average, and they nearly doubled the four-year, $55 million extension he had hoped Dallas would give him. 

• Now, the rest is history, and Brunson is leading the Knicks in hopes of a deep playoff run. 

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