Jalen Brunson is already the biggest bargain in the NBA, and he may continue to be for the New York Knicks.
Brunson, who finished fifth in MVP voting, is entering the third year of a four-year, $104 million contract with the Knicks.
He is eligible to sign an extension this summer, though he could make more money by waiting until 2025, opting out of his contract, and re-signing with the Knicks.
Brunson can sign a four-year, $156 million extension this summer. If he re-signed as a free agent in 2025, he could sign a five-year, $270 million contract.
However, according to Newsday's Steve Popper, Brunson is not only "willing" to sign the extension this summer — he'd "rather" sign the extension this summer and lock in the money.
SNY's Ian Begley had also reported in April that Brunson wasn't expected to pursue the biggest possible contract as a status symbol and was instead focused on other aspects of team-building.
And while it would still be a big raise for Brunson, who has blossomed into an All-NBA guard, such an extension would still come at a massive discount for the Knicks.
The first year of that extension, per Jeremy Cohen of Knicks Film School, would be worth $34.9 million. Currently, that would still only make Brunson the 34th highest-paid player in the league.
The first year salary of this extension would be $34.9M, which means Brunson would be (as of now) the 34th-highest paid player in the NBA for the 2025-26 season. He would be earning less than players like:
— Jeremy Cohen (@TheCohencidence) May 21, 2024
Darius Garland
LaMelo Ball
Deandre Ayton
Desmond Bane https://t.co/zw6iWS1c6C
That discount contract could also come into play as the Knicks build out their team. Thee Knicks will look to re-sign OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein this summer, both of whom will command big raises. And the Knicks may also target another star via trade this summer. With a wave of big salaries, Brunson's relative discount might make the final tax bill easier to swallow for the Knicks, thus potentially allowing them to keep this team together.
Brunson may already be one of the greatest free agent signings in NBA history. It's possible that he'll continue to reward the Knicks even more going forward.
