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New York Knicks’ target Jalen Brunson was an effective second-guy alongside Luka Doncic as the Dallas Mavericks made a solid playoff run last season.
The 25-year-old guard averaged 21.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game in the playoffs. His exploits have led to a league-wide interest in him in the trade market.
The New York Knicks traded Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel to the Detroit Pistons, along with two future second-round picks; to make room for Jalen Brunson. The Knicks added six million dollars in cash as well, but took no players in exchange.
While Brunson proved to be a reliable partner for the Slovenian, the consensus is that Luka Doncic will be fine.
Doncic has been compared to LeBron James since the start of his NBA career, given the way he controls the offense. Chris Broussard of “First Things First,” used this to build his case, as he said:
“Luka is similar to LeBron offensively, in that he is ball-dominant, he is the system. Everyone has to play off him.”
Broussard was all praise for Doncic, but sympathized with Jalen Brunson as he said:
“A player that can create his own shot and create his own offense; can get frustrated playing with LeBron or with Luka, because they create everything.”
According to Chris Haynes from Yahoo Sports, Jalen Brunson can expect a four-year $110 million offer from the New York Knicks. The Mavericks would like to retain the improved Brunson’s services, but Broussard believes it to be no hiccup, saying:
“I think it’d be good if the Mavs could keep him, I’m sure they’d like to keep him. But this doesn’t affect Luka at all.”
From Brunson’s perspective, it is probably a good time for him to cash-in on his pay hike. He could also possibly be offered a bigger role if he moves, which could aide his growth as a player.
Mavericks are title contenders despite losing Brunson to the New York Knicks
Jalen Brunson rose to be an effective player in the Mavericks’ offense, but his loss is not expected to leave a very big dent. Tim Hardaway Jr.’s expected return has Mark Cuban and the Mavericks excited about the upcoming season.
The Mavericks brought in Christian Wood from the Houston Rockets almost a week ago, which strengthens their presence in the paint.
Broussard went on to highlight the changes for the Mavericks after an anticipated trade with the New York Knicks, as he said:
“It’s not going to affect Luka at all. They got Tim Hardaway Jr. coming back, who is a better three-point shooter.
“They got Christian Wood, I like that trade. 18 and 10, stretch five, shoots the three better than Jalen Brunson. So, Wildes, I don’t think this is going to have any impact on Luka. Luka’s independently great, regardless of a guy like Jalen Brunson.”
The Dallas Mavericks are likely to come out stronger in the upcoming season, and the Christian Wood trade has certainly strengthened their roster. The New York Knicks, on the other hand, still have a long summer ahead of them.
Guess the Lakers players!
