The New York Knicks made no secret of their sensational pursuit of Jalen Brunson. In the end, the Knicks prevailed and they got their man. This came out to the tune of a $104 million contract for four years — an amount that New York was more than willing to shell out for the 25-year-old guard.
For their part, the Dallas Mavericks did their best to keep Brunson. He became an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2021-22 campaign, and after a breakout season, the Mavs made it abundantly clear that they wanted him to stay in Dallas.
The sad part about all this — at least for the Mavs — is how Brunson didn't even give them a chance to negotiate a new deal. Team owner Mark Cuban recently opened up about this recent saga, and he admitted that Brunson refused to give his former team the time of day:
“It really wasn’t about the amount of money,” Cuban said, via Steve Popper of Newsday. “We really didn’t get a chance to make an offer. It was Jalen’s choice. And I understand it. He knew those guys his entire life. He grew up there. It makes perfect sense.”
Right before free agency opened, reports emerged about how Brunson's camp decided to cancel their meeting with the Mavs. At that point, it was clear that he had already made up his mind to join the Knicks.
Despite his rather unceremonious exit, however, Cuban holds no ill will against Jalen Brunson:
“No hard feelings. I wish him nothing but the best,” Cuban said. “You bust your [butt] and you have that choice. He deserves it.
“It happens. It’s the way this league works. It’s a business. You trade a player, you say it’s a business. You lose a player, it’s a business. It’s just the way it goes.”
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