Jalen Brunson Hopes Knicks 'Do Right By Me' After Leaving $113M On Table In 2024

Jalen Brunson says he hopes the New York Knicks will reciprocate his team-friendly contract extension when he becomes eligible for a maximum deal in 2028. The All-NBA guard left $113 million on the table by signing early in 2024 rather than waiting for a larger payday in 2025.

Brunson signed a four-year, $156.5 million extension instead of waiting to pursue a five-year, $269 million maximum contract. The discount provided New York crucial cap flexibility to build around its franchise cornerstone.

"Obviously we'd love for them to do right by me," Brunson said. "I think anyone would. I feel like I sacrificed."

The 29-year-old will be eligible for a five-year, $417.8 million deal beginning in 2028, though he will be 32 entering that season, an age when smaller guards historically begin to decline. Brunson expressed pragmatic reasoning behind his decision to sign early rather than risk injury jeopardizing a larger contract.

"I've seen players wait and then get hurt, and then they're at the mercy of the organization," he said. "A lot of people say I sacrificed for the team. One hundred percent I sacrificed for the team. But most importantly, I made sure my family and I are taken care of."

Brunson joined the Knicks in 2022 on a four-year, $104 million deal after declining to remain with the Dallas Mavericks alongside Luka Doncic. The decision to leave Dallas centered on building his own legacy rather than remaining in a supporting role.

"At the time of free agency, I was thinking about all the situations," Brunson said. "Could I be comfortable and stay in a role next to a future Hall of Famer or create my own path? I was never afraid to fail. When you're reaching for your dreams, you've got to take leaps, even if it's uncomfortable."