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Jalen Brunson is making his way home this season as he signed a deal with the New York Knicks. In a conversation with JJ Redick on his podcast, "The Old Man and The Three", Brunson also revealed the significance of his move.
Brunson emerged as one of the premier free agents on the market this offseason. After a rather impressive breakout performance with the Dallas Mavericks last year, the 25-year old combo guard drew interest from teams across the league.
Although the Mavericks would have benefitted from having Brunson return, the franchise opted to head in another direction. This allowed the New York Knicks to pursue and sign the guard for a four-year max deal.
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Signing with the Knicks may have been a relatively easy decision for Brunson. Returning to the East Coast, nearer to his hometown of New Brunswick, the guard feels good to be near his family.
Playing with the Knicks and his father as a coach is obviously a new experience for Brunson. When talking about whether this would change their father-son relationship, he said:
"A little bit. I mean, I've always trusted my dad. I've always trusted everything he's helped me accomplish."
Brunson displayed great respect for the role his father played in establishing his career. Jalen Brunson's father, Rick Brunson, was a point guard with the New York Knicks from 1999-2001.
Discussing the significance of signing with his father's former team with JJ Redick, Jalen Brunson had this to say:
"It's like the physical ties are there. Like my grandparents live in Long Island.
"Like all that stuff is coming full circle and it's like really cool that now I'm on the team where my dad enjoyed most of his time. But it's surreal."
Although the older Brunson didn't see much game time with the Knicks in that span of time, the younger Brunson may be a key element of the team.
Looking to play as the starting point guard for the New York Knicks, Jalen Brunson sees his career come full circle. But will his time with the Knicks be fruitful?
Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks
Jalen Brunson's relationship with the New York Knicks runs rather deep. Although the proximity to the city of New York and his father's affiliation with the team happens to be a factor, there is more to it than meets the eyes.
JJ Redick mentioned earlier in the podcast that Brunson was represented by Leon Rose, who is now the president of the Knicks. Additionally, Brunson's father was also represented by Rose early on in his career as a sports agent.
Brunson himself has mentioned that the experience of being around the personnel in New York is quite unique. Considering his relationship with head coach Tom Thibodeau dating back to his school career, Brunson finds himself in a relatively familiar environment.
While the relationship between the player and the organization is impressive, the franchise itself is in a bit of a tumultuous phase. In the midst of trade negotiations with the Utah Jazz while fending off internal strife, Brunson could find himself heading into a particularly difficult season.
