Although Jalen Brunson's new deal with the New York Knicks has not been officially announced, the expectation is that he will be headed to the Big Apple in free agency.

Brunson joins a New York team in need of a playmaker and a good starting point guard. It has been roughly 15 years since the Knicks had a point guard play at a star level. The 25-year-old Brunson will look to end their cold streak and become a star in the orange and blue.

The expectations for Brunson will be very high. He left a role as Luka Doncic's right-hand man on a Dallas Mavericks team that just made the Western Conference Finals. His new team is coming off of a disappointing season and has an even more saddening history. The front office hopes he can play a big part in correcting the course.

With the ‘Bockers, he wants to become an All-Star and lead the team back to the players. He may not snatch that accolade but he still should have a strong first season in New York. Here are three bold predictions for Jalen Brunson's first season with the Knicks.

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3 bold predictions for Jalen Brunson in his first season with Knicks

3. Brunson puts up career-highs in points and assists

Brunson averaged 16.3 points and 4.8 assists per game last season, his first as a consistent starter. Now that he will have more freedom with the ball after moving away from Doncic, he should bump his numbers up again.

Of course, Brunson is now headed to play with Julius Randle and RJ Barrett, who will both command the ball plenty. It won't be the Jalen Brunson Show but he will undoubtedly have a major role in the offense, perhaps even as the lead ball-handler. New York has relied on Barrett and Randle to bring the ball up and set the table but now that they have Brunson, they can put those guys in other spots.

New York invested heavily in Brunson, giving him a contract worth over $100 million. They also traded away contracts to ensure they have enough money for him and were willing to allegedly tamper in order to get him. The Knicks didn't just want to upgrade, they wanted to upgrade with Brunson.

In the unlikely event that Randle gets traded — his last season with brutal both on and off the court but New York does not seem to have interest in moving on from him — Brunson could easily become a 20-point, 6-assist player. If he doesn't, Brunson should certainly be able to crack 18 points and five assists per game.

2. Brunson helps RJ Barrett and Julius Randle shoot way better from deep

When New York made the playoffs two seasons ago, Randle and Barret shot 41.1 and 40.1 percent from 3, respectively, on decent volume. Last season, their efficiency behind the arc dropped off substantially. Having a better set-up man should help them get their grooves back, though they may not reach 40 percent.

Not only is Brunson a good passer but he is someone who can break defensive pressure and get into the paint. This ability to shrink the floor for his teammates is great news for New York's shooters. Barrett and Randle will have more room to fire away and can rely less on off-the-dribble triples.

Barrett and Randle will both have the ball in their hands plenty, so they won't have to be relied upon to be consistent spot-up shooters. Brunson can also space the floor, as he has shot above 37 percent from deep in each of the last two seasons. With a strong playmaker alongside them, New York's forwards can get back to being above-average 3-point shooters.

1. Knicks make the play-in tournament behind Brunson

New York was six games back from the play-in tournament last year. With Brunson on board, they have what it takes to bridge the gap and make it this season.

Brunson gives the Knicks a real floor general that can score and pass. His value to the offense will be immense. Although his defense is not very good, New York has been good overall on that end under Tom Thibodeau. The offense is where the team has struggled. A real, veteran point guard is a great remedy for it.

In addition to Brunson, the Knicks have a roster with solid players at all positions. Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Obi Toppin and Quentin Grimes could all make improvements to their games. New York also has Randle, Mitchell Robinson, Derrick Rose, Isaiah Hartenstein and Evan Fournier. Their depth should be pretty solid, if not really good.

If Brunson is their biggest move this offseason, the Knicks most likely won't be a playoff team. That's not necessarily a bad thing. Because they have so many young guys, they don't have to throw all caution to the wind. Brunson should make them better, which is the most important thing.