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The New York Knicks' offseason has been pretty solid so far. Following a head-spinning draft night and several trades to make cap space, New York went out and got Jalen Brunson and Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency while re-signing Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims.
All the buzz around New York now is about a move that seems soon to come. Donovan Mitchell is expected to be a Knick once the team agrees to a trade package to send to the Utah Jazz. Although trade talks have been ongoing, it may take a while before an official deal is agreed upon.
Despite the gargantuan amount of assets the Knicks will have to trade for Micthell, adding a true star would be a fantastic move for them. Since the deal is not yet official and the Jazz still have other teams interested, though, it can't be assessed yet. Barring a trade for Mitchell, the signing of Brunson has been the Knicks' best 2022 NBA offseason move so far.
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Knicks' best move of 2022 NBA offseason
The Knicks' interest in Brunson was known pretty well during the playoffs and was crystalized when New York hired his father as an assistant coach despite being accused of sexual assault not once but twice in the last decade. The Knicks may even face tampering charges for reportedly agreeing to deal with the 25-year-old Brunson before free agency officially began.
Brunson averaged 16.3 points, 4.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 50.2 percent from the field, 37.3 percent from deep and 84.0 percent from the free-throw line last season. His first season as a full-time starter went really well and ended on a tremendous note. He shined in the postseason, helping the Dallas Mavericks reach the Western Conference Finals.
New York has struggled on offense under Tom Thibodeau. Now, they will have a truly good point guard to lead the team. Last year's starters at the point guard spot were Kemba Walker, who has become a shell of himself due to wear and tear on his body, and Alec Burks, who is only a point guard in Thibodeau's mind. The starter before them was Elfrid Payton, who provided little support and got less playing time as the season went on.
Brunson's uber-efficient scoring and solid playmaking should greatly help out the offense. Although he isn't a frequent deep-range shooter (only a quarter of his shots were triples last season), he is efficient from deep. His bulky frame and ball handling allow him to get into the lane and he has the shooting touch to, as Walt Frazier would say, convert shots in the land of the Gullivers.
Even though Brunson will be a massive boost to the Knicks' offense, he leaves a lot to be desired on defense. However, the Knicks have thrived on defense (ranking in the top 12 of the NBA in defensive rating in each of the last two seasons) with poor defenders at the point guard spot, so this concern is nothing to get bent out of shape over.
Much of the discussion about the Knicks signing Brunson is about his contract. An investment worth $104 million to a player who only became a starter this season seems lofty, but there are two key reasons not to sweat it. First, it's not a massive overpay. Brunson's deal is comparable to other point guards of his caliber.
Jalen Brunson's 4 yr, $104M free agent contract with the #Knicks includes a 10% trade bonus, final year player option, & salaries of:
22-23: $27.7M
23-24: $26.3M
24-25: $24.9M
25-26: $24.9M (option)His $26M AAV ranks 14th among active PGs.
Breakdown: https://t.co/dvbM6awF7l
— Spotrac (@spotrac) July 16, 2022
The more important reason is that Brunson simply makes the Knicks better. New York needed someone who can be a real threat at point guard. They have been trying to drive into playoff contention with old, ineffective motors. In their latest pit stop, they have finally gotten one that is reliable and strong enough to power the offense.
The arrival of Brunson means that RJ Barrett has a reliable ball handler next to him who can help him get cleaner looks and take some pressure off. It means Julius Randle no longer has to pound the ball ad nauseam and will have someone taking the pressure off of him, too. Robinson will still have someone who can feed him lobs, and the shooters around Brunson should have more room to shoot thanks to his ability to draw defenses in.
Re-signing Robinson and bringing in Hartenstein to back him up are certainly key moves for New York. However, the Brunson addition raises the team's floor and ceiling, and he is young enough to keep adding to his game and growing with the young players around him.
Although Brunson will have to prove that he can thrive without the assistance of Luka Doncic, he has the shot-creation ability to do so and enough help around him. Having Mitchell to work with would certainly help matters. Regardless, the Knicks signing Jalen Brunson should work out well for all parties involved.
