Ex-Warriors Star’s Stinging Jab at Chris Paul Could Delight Jalen Brunson for This Reason

It seems the New York Knicks are ready to make a serious run in the Eastern Conference this season. With their recent trade for Karl-Anthony Towns, they’ve added another weapon to the roster. Towns may already be settling in well, but all eyes are still on Jalen Brunson, who’s poised to lead the Knicks into the 2024-25 campaign. Coming off a breakout season, Brunson is gearing up to take things up a notch—and it seems he’s getting some high praise along the way.

Last season, Brunson averaged 32.4 points on 44% shooting in the playoffs before the Knicks’ exit, solidifying his spot as one of the league’s top guards. During a recent episode of Gil’s Arena, former Warriors star Gilbert Arenas drew a striking comparison, saying Brunson’s game resembles Chris Paul’s but with a twist. “Brunson is a Chris Paul who scores,” Arenas pointed out. “Brunson is not going to hit two threes and then go down and try to take a 40-foot shot just for a heat check,” Agent Zero further said during the podcast.

However, in a previous podcast, Arenas made it clear that despite Brunson’s standout performances, he’s still not quite a superstar. “They’re never going to coin [Jalen Brunson] as a superstar until he starts winning a championship,” Arenas remarked. Agent Zero also suggested that Brunson may lack the charisma needed to reach that next level. “You also need a personality, too,” he said.

Interestingly, as the Knicks enter this new season, with Towns now in the mix, Arenas is concerned about one factor.

Arenas expresses concern over Brunson and Knicks

After nine years with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Karl-Anthony Towns made a major move to the New York Knicks this offseason. But it does not really impress Agent Zero as he feels one aspect of Knicks left unnoticed, which can hinder their season.

During another conversation on Gil’s Arena, the Washington Wizards’ star pointed out his concern—the lack of an enforcer on the Knicks roster to protect Jalen Brunson from physical defenders. “You know how teams that rely on bully ball operate; they come at you hard. There’s no one to stand up for him now, and that’s not really KAT’s role,” Arenas explained.

He went on to emphasize that Towns won’t be the one stepping in when Brunson is targeted. “I believe this could hinder their performance moving forward, especially since KAT also struggles to get to the free-throw line,” Arenas added, raising concerns about Towns’ ability to create crucial opportunities on the court.

However, Towns made an impressive debut in the Knicks’ preseason, helping them secure a narrow 115-110 victory over his former team. With 16 points and 16 rebounds in 29 minutes, Towns showed he can blend into the Knicks’ system, but will it be enough to answer Arenas’ doubts? Only time will tell.