Jalen Brunson Wants Max From Knicks

Jalen Brunson told Vanity Fair he hopes the Knicks will "do right" by him when it is time for a new contract, saying "Obviously we'd love for them to do right by me" and "I feel like I sacrificed." Brunson accepted a four-year, $156.5 million extension in July 2024 that cost him roughly $113.5 million in potential earnings to keep New York under the second apron, letting the team add pieces. He is eligible for a five-year, $417.8 million max extension in two years and has been central to three straight playoff trips while averaging 27.0 points on 47.0 percent shooting this season. Merlin sees a player who traded short-term pay for a longer-term project and now expects a fair return. With All-Star and All-NBA credentials and the Knicks sitting third in the East, the bargaining chips favor Brunson, but cap math and roster priorities will shape the timing and size of any deal.