NBA
Knicks Don’t Need Superstar Jalen Brunson
Jalen Brunson is still cooling down from the absolute heater he was on during the New York Knicks playoff run back in April and May.
Brunson was averaging 32.4 points per game during the postseason, but the Knicks may not need that version of him due to the changes that were made over the offseason.
“Now a full-fledged superstar, Brunson agreed to a four-year, $156.5 million extension this summer, which was seen as an enormous sacrifice. The deal will allow the Knicks to continue building a contender in Brunson’s image, with three of his college teammates alongside him for the long haul. Ideally, the addition of Mikal Bridges and the return of Julius Randle will mean that Brunson won’t have to drop 40 all that often in 2024-25, as New York was far too dependent on Brunson’s scoring last season. That iteration of the team scored like the Celtics with him on the court and like the Blazers with him on the bench. The only player whose presence on the court made a bigger difference to his team’s offensive efficiency is the three-time MVP ranked No. 1 on this list,” CBS Sports contributor James Herbert writes.
Brunson dropping 30 or 40 every night is something that likely isn’t sustainable for longer than a playoff series, and the 82-game regular season ensures that something like that can’t happen the entire year.
This is the deepest team Brunson has played on throughout his career, and a majority of the players are a proven fit for his style of basketball, as evidenced by his two national championships in college.
Brunson has won a championship with Bridges, Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo, while he has also built a strong rapport with Randle and OG Anunoby among other players on the roster.
Brunson is still in need of being a leader for the team, but the depth and help surrounding him makes his job a lot easier and puts the Knicks in a position to become a true contender this season.
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