Jalen Brunson is easily the most generous superstar the New York Knicks front office has ever dealt with. Former franchise player Carmelo Anthony even admitted that he never would have taken a $113 million pay cut for the good of the team.
Anthony sat down with Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George to discuss Brunson's unprecedented decision, via Wave Sports + Entertainment's “Podcast P.”
“Is he getting that on the back end?” George asked. “Because you’ve been a Knick legend.”
“I’m not doing it,” Anthony responded, followed by laughter on both sides.
Anthony earned just over $262.5 million over his entire career, so it's easy to see why Brunson's pay cut looks crazy to him. The 2003 third overall pick even pointed out that the narrative that Brunson could make the money back off the court is ludicrous.
“He left $113 million on the table, I know when he’s moving around New York he ain’t paying for s—t, he’s a New York legend already,” George continued. “Is he making that back up on the back end?”
“Listen, you can’t make $113 million off the court,” Anthony replied. “People’s busting their a– out there and they ain’t making $113 million off the court. You’re talking about people off the court or off the field for years, and years, who are the biggest stars out there, and they’re not making $100 million off the court. That right there is different. He’s making something, he should be making something. $113 million on the back end is crazy.”
While Brunson will undoubtedly make extra cash from endorsements, commercials, and other avenues, nine figures is still a lot of money to leave on the table. The Villanova alum did it, of course, to help New York's salary cap flexibility in its quest for a championship.
How will Brunson's legacy compare to Anthony's when he hangs up the sneakers?
Carmelo Anthony is a Knicks legend, but Jalen Brunson could eventually be the franchise GOAT
Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire helped put New York back on the map after several forgettable seasons, leading the club to three straight playoff campaigns from 2010-13. However, the Knicks went back to the cellar after “Melo” signed his five-year, $124 million max extension with them in 2014. Due to a mixture of bad drafting, trades, and free-agent signings, the club didn't recover until Julius Randle arrived in 2020-21.
Brunson's arrival, though, has set the club up for a long-term period of success. The 27-year-old has already led the club to two playoff series wins in just two seasons, which is already more than Anthony had. Additionally, New York nearly beat the Indiana Pacers in the second round last season, despite getting decimated by injuries.
Now, the Brunson-led Knicks should only get better. The arrival of fellow Villanova alum Mikal Bridges will get them closer to the elusive Larry O'Brien Trophy, especially because he's also expected to take a team-friendly deal down the line, via CBS Sports.
Whether or not Brunson brings New York a championship, there's no denying that he did everything in his power to make sure it happened.
Follow Us
Subscribe
