The New York Knicks swooped in and stole Jalen Brunson from the Dallas Mavericks. New York signed the guard to a 4-year, $104 million dollar deal. Brunson emerged as a star this past season in Dallas and is certainly reaping the rewards. But was this a good move by the Knicks?
Grading Knicks signing of Jalen Brunson in 2022 NBA Free Agency
Breakdown
The New York Knicks endured a miserable 2021-2022 campaign. To make matters worse, the team had lofty expectations entering the season. Their fans were left feeling extremely disappointed after NY struggled.
But the Knicks are trying to re-tool this offseason. Jalen Brunson provides the team with far more stability in the backcourt. Brunson averaged over 16 points per game last season to go along with just under 5 assists per contest, per basketball reference. Additionally, he shot 50 percent from the field and 37 percent from deep. His contributions were crucial for a Mavs team that went all the way to the Western Conference Finals.
Brunson joins RJ Barrett and Julius Randle on the Knicks to form a Big 3 of sorts. It should be noted that Randle underwhelmed at times last season. But he is a talented player. Meanwhile, Barrett features an incredibly high ceiling. Adding someone with the playmaking ability of Brunson should aid his development.
Does adding Jalen Brunson automatically make the Knicks NBA Finals contenders? No, but it provides fans with excitement.
New York still needs to focus on adding depth this offseason. They would benefit from quality role players who can compliment Brunson, Randle, and Barrett. Their roster depth is lacking at the moment.
Final grade
I like this move for the Knicks. They wanted to make a splash in free agency and accomplished that goal without question.
They can't become complacent and quit adding following this signing. But adding a guy like Jalen Brunson to the mix is impressive. Brunson was often left in the shadows last season by the media due to the Luka Doncic effect. So he now has an opportunity to shine under the bright lights of New York.
In the end, this is a deal that will benefit all parties involved.
Final grade: A
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