Jalen Brunson Signs Team-Friendly Extension: Impact on Knicks' Future

[00:00:11] It's Friday, we're coming to you with a bonus pod tonight and the only reason we would ever do something like this is that it had to be big news And it was. So, Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks, size a four-year extension for $156.5 million dollars.

[00:00:37] Now, here is the thing with this. Brunson had played himself into a situation that if he played out the rest of the contract, which was next year. So, we're there. He would have been up for a five-year, $269 million dollar contract. He saved the Knicks, $113 million.

[00:01:10] This is unheard of in the NBA. Not because of the fact that it's just usually the guys try to get as much as they possibly can. We do have some quotes and some thoughts on why this is actually taken.

[00:01:35] He's transpired, I'm so sorry, I'm tongue-type because this is such a huge situation. Let me read one of the things that was said, actually what Jalen Brunson said. Brunson studied the championship organizations and their franchise stars such as Patrick Waholms

[00:02:05] of the Kansas City Chiefs, Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, and Derek Geter of the New York Yankees. Excuse me, he gave him the blueprint for MVP level players who structured their contracts to give their teams the best chance of sustainable title runs.

[00:02:32] So the Knicks so far, they saw OGN and Novey right to his extension. They traded for McElbrugis, they just signed Jalen Brunson. They actually have assets left. We did this in a previous pod, but I think it's so important to talk about right now.

[00:03:02] Now, for 2025, they do not have a first round pick. But they do own their first round pick in 2026 and they also own their first in 2030. Now, they have a bunch of second round picks in 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2029. So they have some maneuverability to work around now.

[00:03:31] It all depends on, are they done? We'll get into that a little bit later. First, let's focus on Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks and the relationship. Everybody knows that his dad, Rick Brunson is a assistant coach on Tom Tibbiddo staff.

[00:03:55] We also know that Leon Rose was Rick Brunson's agent Sam Rose, who constructed this deal for Jalen Brunson, is the son of Leon Rose. Now, none of it is, none of this is insidious.

[00:04:16] I'm not saying any of this. This is truly one of the most surprising things I've seen. And there's so many ramifications to this that we haven't even got into, but I just want to go over all the players in this play, sort of speak.

[00:04:38] So Rick Brunson, long time client of Leon Rose, Leon Rose, President of the New York Knicks, was a CAA agent left that to be the next player personnel guy. His son is over in CAA now and he's running Jalen Brunson's career in that risk

[00:05:04] act. Now, Jalen Brunson had a lot of say in this. This is something that he wanted to do and it was more to keep a championship caliber team on the court for the next.

[00:05:20] And that's what it comes down to. I think the guy is just built different, you know, he's real soft-smoking. Now, here's the thing, do I think that Jalen Brunson is going to be

[00:05:35] able to make up this money in New York City elsewhere? 100%. Don't cry for Jalen Brunson. Okay, did he take significantly less? Yes. Is it a calculated gamble? I don't know how calculated it is because we know how New York people are about their

[00:06:00] next basketball. We know how the the the the a list are the the people of industry in that area of the country. They'll do whatever they hand to help out Jalen Brunson

[00:06:20] make up that 113 million dollars that he's kind of letting go by the wayside. So, I do not worry about him and that respect whatsoever because of the fact that the endorsement deals and just all the

[00:06:34] things that will come along with what he has done for the next because he has done this for them and for himself. It's dual purpose because this allows the next to continue to keep

[00:06:50] merciless bridges Dante, Diving, Chenzou and Josh Hart. We all know about what the second apron is. We understand how human it is and how restrictive it is when you are trying to maneuver and

[00:07:05] trying to make any kind of transaction whatsoever. So, great. I mean you can't talk about him being the leader of the team has taken less money. Okay, so that means I can't wait till Mikhail

[00:07:26] Bridges comes up for extension and it's it's interesting to the Jalen it took this situation. Now, there were rumors that were thoughts out there last week previous to this. I think Frey Katz had this a chronic remember who else had this but somebody else had this where

[00:07:50] there was the thought that he might take less. Now, let me give you something from what Bobby Mark said from ESPN so their front office insider. He noted that Jalen runs an eligible for the 1506. Yeah, yeah, he highlighted they runs and currently perform it's averaging 27.4 points again

[00:08:15] 3.6 rebounds again and 6.5 assists a game which underscores the value to the next and why this extension is so crucial as far as the flexibility is concerned. Yeah, again because he was about

[00:08:31] the get 269 million dollars. Next year off the season he had last year and off what he was able to do and get himself in lofty lofty conversations when it comes to MVP all NBA team. If you know I

[00:08:50] had him on a on an all NBA team, I had him on my first all NBA team matter. Fact here at front runner podcast collective you know we hold it down for Jalen runs in here.

[00:09:04] Go check the iCar archive pods because you know I put it down for Jalen runs. Now, Fred Katz who's been all over this he's with the athletic. I love him. I love his work.

[00:09:18] He talks about the the $269 million in why it might not be that big of a deal because in 2028 when the cap goes up he would be eligible to make an annual average value salary of $72 million dollars.

[00:09:38] Not bad if you can get it right all you have to do is be patient and you're about to double up on your money and you're going to be the toast to New York City in a hero.

[00:09:51] And probably the greatest nick of the millennium. I mean right now, I mean he's got to be up there with like Willis Reed, Patrick Yuin, Bernard King, Bill Bradley, uh, uh, the crow in my role, wall

[00:10:13] Fraser. He's got to be out there with all the luminaries now just off the simple fact of what he did. Now um here's a call. Let's get into it. So now does this have any effect

[00:10:32] on the league? Now I can see front office people trying to use this against their star. But keep in mind we have a very special case here. Look at what we're talking about. Jailant Bronson went to Villanova, Mcleo Bridges went to Villanova,

[00:10:54] Dante DeVinchinsa went to Villanova, Josh Hart went to Villanova, they all won national championships together. This is a different circumstance. You are not going catch um, who's the next one? What, Pollo? Is it Pollo? You're not going catch Pollo in these streets taking less money

[00:11:18] to hold the Orlando magic together. We can try it. We can see the player personnel people will look at this and they will look at the next and they will try to sell this to their top NBA talent.

[00:11:38] Now remember we talked about the executives being so scared of the second apron. I told you that I talked about seven people within the league who are in the league right now either in

[00:11:51] roles of lower level for an office, player development, things of that nature. They talked about how stifling the second apron was and how critical it was and how imperative it was for them to

[00:12:07] be out of that second apron because of just the lack of flexibility and what you can do in trades, what you can do in free agency, what you can do with middle level exceptions, what you can do with

[00:12:22] tax payer middle level exceptions, what you can do with all these things are canned. But what you could do with stacking salaries on top of one another, these are all knows on S.

[00:12:36] Second apron. Also, buy out players if you have a buy out player if they may more than $13 million in now they're a buy out player if you're over the second apron you cannot bid on that guy.

[00:12:52] You cannot give him the middle one. He cannot come to your team. Usually a team that's going to be over the second apron is going to be a team that has asked for a lot of titles.

[00:13:03] So, it's very, very important for these teams to stay under that second apron. Now, Boston completely different case. They locked up everyone but they're in such a different position than everybody else. There are two stars. Our turn in 27 and 26 this year.

[00:13:36] Like, this is ridiculous how young they are the two stars. The two leaders of that team. Then you have Chris Doc for Zingas. Then you have Derek White. Then you have Drew Holiday. Then you have Al Horvert, Mix in a little Payton Preture. And there you go.

[00:13:57] What it doesn't work if those two guys, Jayne Brown and Jason Tatum are incredibly talented as they are incredibly impactful, incredibly complimentary, complimentary of one another which we all talked about a couple years ago, would they have to be broken up? Y'all know who you are out there.

[00:14:22] Who said this shit? Y'all know. Now, there was a point where we didn't know the chilling brown was going to be able to drill with his left hand. He has put some of those doubts to bed and

[00:14:40] there seems to be a not just a collaborative effort but a for right now. Okay, for what we saw in the NBA finals and this season leading up will see how it looks next year. But in all

[00:14:58] accounts from all of Figuar talk to those two guys have such a all in mentality on one another that it makes it work. Now let's get back to the Nixon, let's get back to Bronson because like I said this

[00:15:13] this is a special case. I'm trying to see now also with this being said, the Nixon in the position because they do they are going to keep themselves out of that second apron. That means that they will

[00:15:40] still have the ability to stack and aggregate salaries. So when we say aggregate salaries, I just want you to know that stacking a salary on top of another one. So what we're doing is saying,

[00:15:53] this guy makes 25 million. We want to take our 10 million guy and our 15 million guy and trade for him because the money's have to match or come close as far as that's concerned.

[00:16:06] So with their plethora of second rounders that they have and they have let's count them out. They have one, five, eight, eleven. They have 13 second right actually 14 second rounders over the next

[00:16:26] seven years and then the two first. Now the 26 first might not be really valuable knowing what's on the team how young it is. Now obviously can change with injury right but what Julius Randall is like

[00:16:42] 2829. Jethan grants is like 2728. You know Josh Hards around that same age. Ogin and Anova is like the pup of the group. So they're loaded right now in that age group when we're all hitting

[00:17:02] or all in our our prime as far as it's concerned. I am just blown away by his foresight and seeing like, hey, I might be the number one right now but I might need a co-star

[00:17:26] closer to my level. And I'm not saying that McElg bridges and Ogin and Anova and Julius Randall, those combined three players can't kind of be a close facsimile to a credible number two for their team because they definitely have sought out depth

[00:17:55] more than like let's go and get like super mega stars and put the two guys together and then we'll figure out the rest of it. They have decided, nope we're going with you get it out the

[00:18:09] mud guys launch play all guys extremely talented guys because Jethan Bronson the amount of work that he puts into his game the amount of work that he puts into cleaning up some of the areas that

[00:18:24] he has deficiencies in. He's he's turned himself into an absolute superstar and I remember having a conversation in regards to Jimmy Butler and how he turned himself into a super star and how rare it was

[00:18:41] and now we have more and more images of men doing these things Nikola Yokech right excuse me there's there's a lot of cases like this guys that were overlooked had to really just kind of file up the ranks to find that they are a true or what they

[00:19:22] consider a true number one. If you look at the route that Jimmy Butler took if you look at the route the Jailing Bronson took you see these routes they took these are hard roads.

[00:19:36] These are these are believing yourself roads because remember he turned down an extension in Dallas he dead on himself when he got the when he signed his free agent contract with the next

[00:19:58] everybody at that point I thought he was overpay for the money he was getting it turned out to be the the most valued valuable contract in the NBA for the type of production you got and

[00:20:14] for what he was making he definitely overshot that and for him to do another undervalue contract again is amazing and it's a credit to him being social who were also loving his teammates

[00:20:38] putting the team first I mean I know these are all cleafays and these are all like real cheesy type of platitudes that we're given Jailing Bronson but this is true and again

[00:20:52] I will can see that he will make this money off the court in New York City I know that Jailing Bronson is not gonna hurt for cash but the simple fact that a guy who does have a lot of

[00:21:11] stroke in that organization didn't stick to screws to them that shows his character that shows what he finds to be very important to him I think this dude says hey I want to bunch of

[00:21:30] crack at the apples I think he looks at Boston I think he looks at the Celtics and goes now they might have fell fallen into this but we can build the mouth trap from their blueprint

[00:21:46] and if you look at what they all assembled around Jailing Bronson the Mackelle bridges a Dr. Goul class and shoot guy also an incredible defender O. Gianna Novi now wanted the

[00:22:04] opportunity to be like a Dr. Goul class and shoot guy I think he's more of a dr. Goul shoot guy I mean I'm sorry a shooting pass guy more than he is a dr. Goul shoot and pass guy but still extremely valuable

[00:22:19] because he's gonna give it to you on the other hand because he's also another really good defender that you got Julius Randall who is a dr. Goul pass and shoot guy allow it Dante D. Vincianzel Josh our straight line driver but can kick it out to the corners

[00:22:42] this is a team that's full of movement you are going to retire plan the New York next and the way Jailing Bronson wants it you're gonna be tired for like the next three to four years

[00:22:56] because he's made sure that the team that you see right now unless there are some changes that the organization with I'm sure Jailing Bronson's collaboration that's the only time change will come okay now if they're getting another star you know if a star asked to go there

[00:23:29] wooey because keep in mind like and I don't want to push Julius Randall out of New York I do not but could you imagine a fourth guy who could drip a glass and shoot like could you imagine

[00:23:50] one more guy that could do that now there's there's there's levels of it you might not need the most expensive level of it but could you imagine all right let's get to this line up I mean it's crazy

[00:24:12] this is probably what we all see OG obviously sign for for. Um McKell bridges as a kind I think he signed extension next year Randall thinks still has two years left on his deal Mitchell Robison just signed his

[00:24:28] deal Josh Hart signed one well as a year ago Dante David Chidsel signed his last lost season so they're locked up their guys have locked up like you know unless they want to make a trade

[00:24:43] their top seven is locked up there's no worries right now and he all want to be together which is crazy all right um let's see what else is there anything else that we really need to talk about what

[00:25:03] this deal no it's a bonus pod Jailing Bronson is a New York Nick for the next four years he signed a way below contract I congratulations to Leon Rose congratulations to World Wide West

[00:25:24] and congratulations to the New York Nick fans this is something that man you guys have been on in such an incredible run from the playoffs on and didn't and boy did Jailing Bronson just keep

[00:25:42] the good times rolling so you sign OG you get McKell bridges you know you had a little you had even a little little spark in the draft with Tyler Colick and calm dotty A

[00:26:00] and then you get this the Jailing Bronson way under value extension well congratulations to the Nick fans blue and orange skies everywhere and also though your Tim's up I know how y'all going to do it let's celebrate this extension let's celebrate Jailing Bronson and just literally his

[00:26:27] awareness of the situation I mean that's the only way I can put it what a savvy guy I really want to see the 30 foot for 30 for this hell I would like to do the 30 for 30 for this so Jailing

[00:26:44] Bronson I'm literally I'm I'm putting my hand up in the air right now if you want somebody to tell this story for you I'll be more than happy too we gave you the Friday pod so if you're

[00:27:03] getting this you're going what the hell we got two pods on Friday yes you did you got two damn pods on Friday and again we didn't see this one come because I told you the things that we were looking for

[00:27:17] whether branding ingram thing which I think is going to come till ahead pretty soon I think we have gotten some strong indications that branding ingram was a certain amount of money and we also got strong

[00:27:31] indications that New Orleans pelicans do not want to give him that type of money so it's going to be now that everybody has come to the summer league I think now we can go ahead and start making real

[00:27:47] inroads on trade so I will tell you you will see me on this feed Monday but who the hell knows because all of the NBA is in Vegas and we await nothing but bombs being dropped late night

[00:28:15] who knows it could be a very exciting weekend but keep it locked here at frontrunner podcast collective and as always we thank you for your downloads we thank you for your time thank you for joining us

[00:28:29] and again be a friend tell the friend about the podcast and remember the best part of you is you don't let anybody extinguish your light go ahead and get your light illuminated do some good in

[00:28:46] the world and if nothing else happens we will see you back on this feed on Monday you guys take it easy have a great weekend we're out peace