“Not Your Job”: Mikal Bridges Warned Against Mimicking Jalen Brunson Route Amid Knicks’ $212M Blunder

Right when NY fans thought they had a championship unit, an NBA expert threw in an unsettling detail. Up until Jalen Brunson’s arrival, the NY Knicks barely looked like reaching the top. But now, the times have changed. The front office pulled a few strings and the Knicks are consistent post-season attendees. However, it may not stay for long, as JB’s latest sacrifice may go in vain, leading him to the exit door. And, the expert warned Mikal Bridges from taking the same route, citing the team’s $212.5 million hindrance.

Undoubtedly Jalen Brunson emerged as the fresh superstar out of MSG, averaging 32.4 points and 7.5 assists in the 2024 playoffs. Heading into the offseason, the 28-year-old was eligible for a contract extension. While everyone expected JB to wait for another season and take the max extension, he surprised everyone. The hooper went on a sacrificial route, signing a four-year contract worth $156.6 million, foregoing a whopping $113 million if he signed it in the next season.

Contrastingly, OG Anunoby, who came to the side in December, received a 5-year contract worth $212.5 million after the season. While it seemed like a commendable sacrifice to keep the Knicks’ hopes high, many criticized it for a specific reason. NBA Radio host Amin Elhassan went on air and pinpointed the Knicks’ future trouble along with a warning to Mikal Bridges. Elhassan considered OG Anunoby’s recent signings as one of the “worst contracts in the NBA,” considering the 27-year-old’s fitness.

The expert said, “I’m not saying OG Anunoby’s not good, I’m not saying he’s responsible for a lot of success it had. I’m saying when you guarantee every last dollar of $212M to a guy who’s been extremely injury-prone,” then listing the number of games he missed in the last four seasons. He argued that JB’s sacrifice would go in vain as the sacrificed dollars would head to injury-prone Anunoby.

Following that, he had an important message for the newest Knicks player, Mikal Bridges, who will be eligible for an extension next summer. Elhassan said, “Mikal Bridges, I tell you, do not give these people discounts; it’s their job to figure it out. It’s not your job to clean up their mess.” While the expert had made it clear, will it reach JB’s ears? Will he take a drastic call after the unsettling detail?

Will Jalen Brunson quit the Knicks fold if his sacrificial ‘mess up’ goes in vain?

In the last four seasons, OG Anunoby has missed out on 120 games, including 32 games from the previous season. Even though the star forward makes a lot of difference with his 2-way playing style, his frequent injury absence has deemed him a liability. While Brunson has already made his sacrifice, to keep Anunoby in the team, the 27-year-old’s fitness issue might lead JB to walk out, eventually. Speaking of it, former Knicks veteran Dennis Scott candidly expressed his opinion.

Scott said, “I bumped into my good friend Rick Brunson (JB’s dad) last night, I said, ‘I’m happy for you and Jalen, you raised a heck of a son, but you know you messed up the game now. You messed up the game,” to the New York Post. 

He compared the situation to Brandon Ingram, who also sacrificed his contract to win the championship, but ended up struggling to qualify for the postseason. After his impressive season in the Lakers in 2020, he had moved to the Pels. Despite his impressive record, he signed a 5-year contract for $158 million. Zion Williamson, who expected to raise the team’s stakes, ended up missing a major chunk of games with injuries. Scott found a parallel in JB’s situation and warned the Knicks guard about falling into this trap.

Above all, the former player also posted an important question, asking, “I want to win. But are you willing to take less to win? Or do you want all that’s deserving to you because of the situation and timing?” 

Anyway, it’s up to Jalen Brunson to take the tough decision if things go south. Do you think the Knicks will overcome these obstacles and prove everyone wrong in the upcoming season? Let us know in the comments.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.