After acquiring Cam Reddish from the Atlanta Hawks, the New York Knicks might not be done maneuvering to bolster the team into a contention spot. The Knicks currently hold the 10th seed, good for the last play-in slot but hope to gain ground and avoid exhibition play to make the post-season.
Injuries are bogging down the point guard position with Derrick Rose undergoing surgery, keeping him out for a minimum of eight weeks and Kemba Walker dealing with knee pain.
Tom Thibodeau has tried to rely on Alec Burks, Immanuel Quickley, and Miles McBride, but the lack of experience at point guard has put them in a tough spot at times. That is why the front office is closely monitoring Jalen Brunson of the Dallas Mavericks.
According to Marc Berman of the New York Post, the Knicks have their eyes set on Dallas’ Jalen Brunson at the deadline:
The Mavericks still haven’t afforded former Villanova point guard Jalen Brunson a contract extension and he has made another leap this season. As The Post has reported multiple times, the Knicks have had Brunson on their radar.
The Knicks already contacted the Mavericks sometime in the past about Brunson, an NBA source said.
“They want him bad,’’ the NBA source said.
What would Jalen Brunson bring to the Knicks?
Brunson is an intriguing player with solid numbers, averaging 16 points, 5.7 assists, and shooting 33.6% from three-point range this season and 50% from the field. Last year, Brunson connected on 40.5% of his shots from deep on 2.9 attempts per game, also contributing a 52% success rate from the field.
Brunson has experienced a massive uptick in assists by more than two per game this year compared to last at 25 years old. In the final year of his contract, the Knicks could consider extending him if they acquired him via trade.
In addition to his offensive qualities, Brunson also hosts a 107.2 defensive rating and 3.6 net rating. He is a quality defensive player, which is precisely what Tom Thibodeau is looking for in a young point guard with experience. His 3.5 to assist/turnover ratio is solid, and it is clear he’s becoming more of a playmaker as time goes on.
This season, he’s averaging 27.9% in unassisted three-point field goals, showcasing his ability to create opportunities for himself. In addition, 78.1% of his field goals made from two-point range are unassisted.
With Dallas failing to come to an agreement on a contract extension with Brunson, there are plenty of suitors for the young Villanova product. Dallas can offer Jalen an extension of four years, $55 million, but he may be able to earn more as an unrestricted free agent.
In the new year, the Mavericks have paired Brunson with Luka Doncic, winning six games and losing just one when he started in that role as a combination. It would be intriguing to consider Brunson as a starter with a Knicks alongside RJ Barrett, Evan Fournier, and Julius Randle. His defensive capabilities would likely provide more consistency from the starters.
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