With Luka Doncic missing 15 games this season so far, Jalen Brunson has been instrumental in running the offense of Jason Kidd and the Dallas Mavericks. Along with his production offensively, Brunson also has the rugged and ferocious defensive intensity that is necessary for the system of Kidd. In his fourth year in the association, Brunson is in the midst of a career year as he is due for a contract extension in the offseason.
Brunson is averaging a career best in points, rebounds, assists, and steals. Any NBA fan would already know his scoring capabilities, but he has grown to a tremendous playmaker by averaging 5.7 assists per game. As he and Dorian Finney-Smith are due for extensions, Dallas may be forced to enter the luxury tax if they keep both individuals. However, one rumored destination for Brunson is the New York Knicks, and he would be a picture perfect fit with that organization.
Jalen Brunson Knicks Fit
Willing playmaker
Signing Kemba Walker in lieu of Elfrid Payton gave them a better scoring option, but it also meant they would run their offense with a score-first point guard. There has been a ton of problems stemming from their offense sets this year and adding Brunson to the mix could mitigate some issues. Even their other facilitators in Alec Burks, Evan Fournier or RJ Barrett have been struggling.
Brunson could blossom into a reliable starting one guard under coach Tom Thibodeau because he will be able to put their main pieces in precise spots to utilize their talent. For instance, Julius Randle should not be receiving a ball when he was too far away from the basket anymore, instead Brunson could feed him more on the low block. Additionally, Fournier and Barrett will be able to have more wide open opportunities because Brunson would be more active as a playmaker.
Better floor spacing
With Fournier, Barrett, Randle, and Immanuel Quickley all struggling from long distance, Brunson's addition forces defenses to view him as a legitimate threat as well. Ironically, he has been struggling from behind the arc this season at 33.6% on one conversion a game. On the other hand, Brunson has proven to be a remarkable outside shooter by tallying 40.5% on three-point shots last year.
Not just due to Brunson's shooting prowess himself, but his ability to constantly attack the rim and force defenses to react will be instrumental in the schemes of Thibodeau. Jalen Brunson is a very efficient player converting converting 50% of his field goals and coughing up the rock just 1.6 times per game. Through these numbers, Brunson would be able to maximize the possessions of the Knicks and give them more attempts in recording better performances.
Scorer, shot creator in clutch situations
Even when they were fourth seed in the Eastern Conference last season, one of the glaring weaknesses of the Knicks were their limited options in the fourth quarter. Brunson has the track record to prove that he does not fold under pressure as he even welcomes the high intensity situations for him to showcase his talent.
Brunson has a slew of moves from his arsenal such as a pull-up jumper, set shot three, or even just attack the rim to create some offense. There are certain junctures wherein the offense of the Knicks just become stagnant and reliant on Randle's post moves. Those plays are not a recipe for success, but Brunson gives them another viable option on the offensive side of the court.
With the trade deadline approaching, the Knicks are one of the teams that are in dire need of any move to bolster their current standing. It will not be difficult for their front office to negotiate some deals as well because they have numerous movable contracts. With the numerous role players on the Knicks roster, they must still prioritize dealing some of them away in order to acquire a talented guard like Jalen Brunson and hopefully sign him to an extension as well.
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