The Dallas Mavericks may have a shot at keeping Jalen Brunson after all. This came to light after both the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers seem to have dropped out of the Brunson sweepstakes.
Early on, it seemed as though several other teams would try to sign Brunson, but on June 26, Marc Stein stated that the Pistons and Pacers are no longer in the running. The only teams left are the Mavs themselves, the New York Knicks, and any late entrants to the race.
Do not forget that the Knicks are aggressively pursuing the 25-year-old unrestricted free agent. He has a number of connections to New York, and as we approach the last few days before players can sign contracts, there feels like a 50/50 chance Brunson might move to the east coast.
On the other hand, Brunson's return is something the Mavs want. It also doesn't seem like money will be an issue. Retaining him is the team's primary goal, according to the president of basketball operations and general manager Nico Harrison. In fact, team owner Mark Cuban is allegedly ready to pay a significant luxury tax in order to do so.
So what happened to Detroit and Indiana?
In their backcourt, the Pistons already boast of Cade Cunningham and surprise lottery steal Jaden Ivey. They are thrilled with their youthful team. This has also subdued their urge to sign Brunson, who could fetch more than $100 million over four years.
As for the Pacers, it looks like they are priced out of the equation. The Pacers drafted a wing player to complement centerpiece Tyrese Haliburton.
Despite the Pistons and Pacers bowing out, though, Jalen Brunson may yet leave the Dallas Mavericks.
In a way, it was always going to come down to the Mavs and Knicks, especially if New York can create enough salary room to make a competitive offer. On the flip side, Dallas can outbid the Knicks and offer a fifth year. Brunson, however, could still choose to move to New York to be with his father and serve as the primary ball-handler for the Knicks.
In the end, it seems like a toss-up between getting a bigger paycheck or playing a bigger role.
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