Jalen Brunson, the 29-year-old New York Knicks point guard, was named the NBA Finals MVP after the team won their first championship title in 53 years on Saturday night—but the team that ended the title drought only came together after Brunson left a massive amount of money on the table two years earlier.
Brunson effectively gave up $113 million after signing a contract extension in 2024.
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Brunson signed with the Knicks in 2022 with a contract worth $104 million—a bargain for a future Finals MVP when superstars like Nikola Jokic were signing contracts worth up to $276 million.
Brunson then agreed to a $156.6 million contract extension over the summer in 2024, signing a deal for less money than if he waited to negotiate during free agency.
Had Brunson waited until his free agency, he would have been eligible for a deal worth a reported $269 million over the next five years—effectively turning down about $113 million, giving the Knicks the salary cap space to build out a championship-winning team around him.
The Knicks went on to acquire crucial parts of their 2026 squad with the available space, including Karl-Anthony Towns and Brunson’s former Villanova teammate Mikal Bridges.
“He understands what winning is about,” Knicks head coach Mike Brown said in an interview after the game on Saturday. “He took a pay cut that I wouldn’t take. Every time they would throw that number in front of me, I would say no, and I feel like I’m a great guy. He set the bar. That set the standard.”
Speaking to Vanity Fair for a profile in February, Brunson described his decision to take the smaller contract as a more personal decision. “I’ve seen players wait and then get hurt, and then they’re at the mercy of the organization,” Brunson said, noting he plays best when he has a “free mind” and not focusing on getting paid. “A lot of people say I sacrificed for the team,” Brunson added. “One hundred percent I sacrificed for the team. But most importantly, I made sure my family and I are taken care of.”
In 2028, Brunson will be eligible to sign a new five-year contract, which could be worth up to $417.8 million, The Athletic reported in 2024. Brunson will turn 32 that year. “Obviously we’d love for them to do right by me,” Brunson told Vanity Fair in February. “I think anyone would. I feel like I sacrificed.”
Brunson was a former McDonald’s All-American in high school, and became a breakout star for Villanova, leading the Wildcats to victory in the 2016 and 2018 NCAA men’s basketball tournaments. Brunson was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks as the 33rd pick in the 2018 NBA draft, but eventually left for free agency after not receiving a $55 million contract extension in 2022—leading him to sign with the Knicks. Brunson once again became the breakout star in the resurgent Knicks over the last few years, which went on an incredible postseason run to win the team’s first championship since 1973. Brunson scored 45 points in game 5 on Saturday night, going 14 for 27 from the field and 13 for 15 from the free throw line.
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