NBA takes Knicks hate to a whole new level in bizarre New York investigation

The New York Knicks had a wild offseason that started with the trade for Mikal Bridges and ended with the Karl-Anthony Towns deal. Between the chaos, Jalen Brunson gave the Knicks a massive discount and signed a four-year, $156 million extension.

Brunson could’ve waited to sign an extension next year, leaving $113 million guaranteed on the table in an unprecedented move. The move signified that the Knicks would avoid the second tax apron, a threshold that makes it impossible to improve the roster under the collective bargaining agreement.

The star point guard signed with New York in 2022 free agency because he wanted to win. Nothing’s changed since then. He’s helped breathe life back into a fanbase that desperately needed it. His job is still far from over, as his sights are set on a championship. Brunson helped the organization take a step toward doing so by taking less money.

He isn’t the only member of the Brunson family who had a big offseason. His father, Rick, was promoted after Johnnie Bryant left New York to join Kenny Atkinson’s staff in Cleveland. The promotion was enough to raise the eyebrows of the NBA because of the timing.

On Monday, SNY’s Ian Begley tweeted that he “heard” the NBA “has been poking around on Knicks’ promotion of assistant coach Rick Brunson.”

The organization released a statement to SNY regarding the investigation:

‘‘In response to the rumored NBA investigation into Rick Brunson’s promotion, Brunson took (former associate head coach) Johnnie Bryant’s place and assumed the same salary as Bryant. It’s offensive that anyone would claim Rick didn’t deserve the promotion. Rick has done a tremendous job and will continue to do so. We see this as more harassment of the Knicks due to our opposition to certain NBA matters.”

It’s unknown how much money Rick makes after the promotion, but it doesn’t come close to $113 million. Rick’s NBA assistant coach journey began in 2010 when he joined the Bulls. It’s not like the Knicks hired him as a first-time assistant in 2022. He joined New York’s staff before his son signed with the team in free agency. The NBA investigated the Knicks for tampering and took away a 2025 second-round pick.

As Begley suggested, the current investigation likely has something to do with what seems to be a never-ending feud between James Dolan and the NBA. Begley used Dolan’s displeasure with the league’s revenue-sharing system as an example. Knicks fans have their own opinions of Dolan, but even non-Knicks fans should be able to admit this is a bit of an odd investigation.

Basketball is more fun when the Knicks are good, but apparently, not everyone in the NBA’s office agrees.