The New York Knicks have found themselves amidst a controversy surrounding one of their assistant coaches, as SNY’s Ian Begley reported Monday that the team is under investigation by the NBA for potentially violating the league’s salary cap rules with Rick Brunson’s promotion on their coaching staff.
The NBA is investigating the Knicks for a potential salary cap violation
The league is claiming that Brunson’s promotion in the offseason compensates the $113 million that his son, Jalen Brunson, passed up on when he signed his historically team-friendly four-year, $156 million extension over the summer. Rick took the position after former Knicks’ assistant Johnnie Bryant left for a spot on the Cleveland Cavaliers coaching staff.
MSG Sports responded to the league’s claim in a very frustrating manner, deeming their investigation “offensive” as well as a form of “harassment.”
“In response to the rumored NBA investigation into Rick Brunson’s promotion, Brunson took Johnnie Bryant’s place and assumed the same salary as Bryant. It’s offensive that anyone would claim Rick didn’t deserve the promotion,” MSG Sports said in a statement (h/t SNY’s Ian Begley). “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.”
Rick Brunson has been an assistant coach with the Knicks for three seasons
Rick Brunson has been with the Knicks’ coaching staff since 2022, the year that Jalen signed his initial four-year, $106 million deal with New York in free agency. The former NBA player has also spent time coaching with the Charlotte Hornets and Denver Nuggets, as well as stops with Knicks’ head coach Tom Thibodeau with the Chicago Bulls and Minnesota Timberwolves.
This isn’t the first time the league has investigated the Knicks surrounding the signing of a player or coach. In 2022, New York lost their 2025 second-round draft pick after an investigation concluded that they tampered with Jalen’s free agency. Jalen had been drawing interest from the Miami Heat as well as his former team, the Dallas Mavericks during his free agency two years ago.
Regardless of the outcome of the investigation, the Knicks will try to move past it as they head out West for a matchup with the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.