Jalen Brunson hopes Knicks ‘do right by me’ in next contract he ‘sacrificed’ on last deal
Feb 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) gestures after the Denver Nuggets call timeout in the second overtime at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Jalen Brunson admits that he “sacrificed” on the last contract extension he signed to stay with the New York Knicks. Now, he is hoping that his team returns the favor the next time they hit the negotiating table.
In a conversation with Vanity Fair, the superstar point guard delved into the four-year, $156.5 million deal he signed to stay with the Knicks before the 2024-25 campaign, which was understandably labeled as a team-friendly deal. Had he waited just one more season, he could have potentially made $113 million more on an identical contract.
He has a chance to make that back by opting out of his current deal following the 2027-28 season, when he will be eligible to sign a max deal worth $417.8 million over five years.
In a perfect world, that comes from the Knicks.
“If I’m thinking about playing well to make sure I get paid, that could mess with me,” Brunson said. “I play best when I have a free mind, and that did that for me. A lot of people say I sacrificed for the team. 100% I sacrificed for the team. But most importantly, I made sure my family and I are taken care of…
“Obviously, we’d love for them to do right by me. I think anyone would. I feel like I sacrificed.”
It is hard to quantify just how much Brunson has meant to this organization, but a contract of that caliber is a pretty nice way to do so.
His arrival from the Dallas Mavericks and meteoric ascension to one of the best point guards in the game have restored the Knicks — once nothing more than a dormant, dysfunctional franchise — to a powerhouse on the NBA landscape.
Last season, he helped lead New York to its first appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals in a quarter-century. He has been an All-Star for three straight years and is once again pacing one of the East’s best squads to the tune of 27 points and 6.1 assists per game.
If the 29-year-old can lead the Knicks to their first NBA title since 1973, the Big Apple will wrench a blank check from team president Leon Rose to keep Brunson at Madison Square Garden.
For more on Jalen Brunson and the Knicks, visit AMNY.com
