Amid his career season with the New York Knicks, it's unlikely that up-and-coming guard Jalen Brunson looks back on his departure from the Dallas Mavericks with bitterness.

Brunson was drafted by the Mavs with the 33rd overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft out of Villanova University and the Jersey-born son of former NBA guard Rick Brunson spent four seasons with Dallas before joining the Knicks as a free agent in the 2022 offseason.

Speaking about his decision to leave the Mavs with Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes, Brunson would note that there were offers that Dallas could have taken to keep him with the organization.

One such offer was a four-year, $55 million contract extension offered prior to the start of the 2021-22 season.

“There were two times that I thought we had offers on the table before the season, and then around, I think December or January, they looked the other way,” Brunson tells Bleacher Report.

However, understanding the nature of the NBA business, Brunson understands why they refused to accept the initial offer.

“They had every right in the world to do so. I don't blame them for making any business decisions. That's on them.”

Furthermore, a gracious Brunson appreciates how the Mavs contributed to his career and helped him to get to a point of being offered the four-year, $104 million contract that he would eventually accept from the Knicks.

“At the same time, I respect them,” Brunson tells Haynes. “They brought me into this league and jump-started my career… As I continued to get older, I got better, and I got more opportunities to showcase my game.

“Both coaching staffs I had there were amazing. Jason Kidd helped unlock something in me… when the playoffs hit, he pushed me to a new level…”