With the acquisition of Mikal Bridges and the extension of OG Anunoby, the New York Knicks have arguably one of the best starting fives in basketball. However, could star point guard Jalen Brunson take another step forward going into his third season with the Knicks?
If Brunson simply ran back exactly what he did during the 2023–24 season, fans would be more than happy with that performance. He averaged a career-high 28.7 points, 3.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists, and shot .479 from the field. He also had a .401 hit rate from three-point range, representing one of the most efficient scorers in the league.
Have the Knicks Seen the Best of Jalen Brunson?
Brunson earned his first All-Star appearance at 27 years old and did the Knicks a huge favor by accepting a four-year, $156.5 million deal, a $113 million discount compared to what he would’ve gotten next year in free agency.
With more offensive playmakers at his disposal, notably the two additions and the return of Julius Randle, Brunson could experience an uptick in one specific category: assists.
Despite setting a career-high 6.7 assists last season, Brunson will have many mouths to feed and perimeter options that can knock down shots at a higher clip. Bridges shot .436 from the field this past season, including .372 from the perimeter. He averaged 19.6 points per game, not to mention 14.7 from Anunoby across 50 games last year between Toronto and New York. He shot .382 from three-point range and .489 from the field.
High-Probability Assists
Brunson will have more efficient shooters to work with, making his assists more probable. There’s a real possibility he averages over seven per game, which would be a new career high and a major benefit. This indicates that Brunson is moving the ball efficiently and that his complementary scorers are playing their part. That’s not even considering Donte DiVincenzo and Josh Hart coming off the bench, two players who would be starting on most teams.
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Again, if Brunson runs back his most recent campaign, fans won’t be disappointed. They will be ecstatic. At this point, it’s about maintaining his superstar performance and the rest of his team staying healthy along the way.