The Knicks, who could give Brunson the opportunity to be a full-time primary ball handler, need to shed salary to have the flexibility to sign him but could feasibly create $20 million or more in cap space. League sources say the Mavs have no intention of cooperating in potential sign-and-trade scenarios.
Source: Tim MacMahon @ ESPN
What’s the buzz on Twitter?
Christos Tsaltas @Tsaltas46
“We have to stick together”.
Jalen Brunson sends a clear message ahead of Game 5 for the Mavericks. They lost Game 4 in Utah but the confidence level remains high. #dALLasIN
sdna.gr/mpasket/958789… – 1:39 PM
Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Asked Jalen Brunson how his back felt less than 2 days after Royce O’Neale’s elbow: “I feel fine.”
Had a slight smirk and didn’t elaborate, so “fine” may have a loose definition here. – 9:17 PM
Dan Favale @danfavale
jalen brunson entering free agency pic.twitter.com/WfS4sFx1Z4 – 6:28 PM
Ryan McDonough @McDNBA
Jalen Brunson on July 1 pic.twitter.com/98L6c1C2g2 – 6:18 PM
Eric Walden @tribjazz
Fans chanting “Bo-gey! Bo-gey!” for Bogdanovic’s full-court defense on Jalen Brunson. The Jazz killer has 8p, but on 1-7 FGs, 6-6 FTs. – 5:34 PM
Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba
4:11 remaining in the first half. The Jazz lead Dallas 42-32……Jalen Brunson has given the mavericks some juice offensively. Donovan Mitchell and Jordan Clarkson have combined for 27 points – 5:30 PM
Ben Anderson @BensHoops
Jason Kidd on Royce O’Neale’s fouls against Jalen Brunson.
“Basketball can be physical and those are physical plays, we just have to protest ourself.”
O’Neale wasn’t fined for his fouls against the Mavericks guard in Game 3.
#TakeNote | @kslsports – 3:08 PM
Eric Walden @tribjazz
Asked if he was surprised that Royce O’Neale was not fined or suspended for his hit on Jalen Brunson, Kidd said: “I’m not surprised. That’s just basketball. Sometimes basketball is physical.” – 3:07 PM
Brad Townsend @townbrad
Jalen Brunson does almost everything with purpose. Arrives on court with game face on, starts his warmup routine with assistant coach Peter Patton. pic.twitter.com/qOwzTzlK3N – 2:33 PM
Mark Followill @MFollowill
A scoring change by those who check these things w/ the NBA has added an assist to Jalen Brunson’s line from G3, giving him 6 (a basket by Dinwiddie in the 3Q w/ an assist that had been mistakenly given to Kleber).
In the last 2 games for Brunson, 72 pts, 11 assts, 1 TO. – 11:14 AM
Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
If Jalen Brunson’s game in G3 wasn’t good enough, @NBA has credited him with an additional assist, making his line 31 pts-6 assists. In the first 3 games he now has 16 assists vs 3 TO – 11:05 AM
Brad Townsend @townbrad
. @Dallas Mavericks PR says that a box score change from Game 3 has given Jalen Brunson an additional assist, giving him 6, along with 31 points and 1 turnover in 35 minutes.
See? Brunson is blossoming in front of our eyes, sometimes w/o even taking the court. – 10:43 AM
Brad Townsend @townbrad
Mavs’ series outlook vs. Jazz drastically changed as Jalen Brunson vastly outperformed his salary dallasnews.com/sports/maveric… – 8:49 PM
NBA Math @NBA_Math
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📋 NBA Playoffs Chitchat
🔘 Impact of Khris Middleton injury on Bucks-Bulls (0:50)
🔘 Celtics-Nets (16:25)
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https://t.co/9QmXcb5rL7 pic.twitter.com/NePctZLagn – 5:23 PM
Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Some Mavs love on ESPN this afternoon:
Kendrick Perkins: “The Jazz should be scared if Luka doesn’t come back. If Luka does come back, they’re dead birds in tall grass.”
Zach Lowe: “Jalen Brunson looks like some combination of Michael Jordan and a running back.” – 3:46 PM
Christos Tsaltas @Tsaltas46
With Luka Doncic out due to injury the Dallas Mavericks looked for a leader. Jalen Brunson took a step up and put the Mavs on his back over 3 Playoff games vs the Jazz. He covers Doncic’s absence and shows his mentality into a leadership role. #dALLasIN
sdna.gr/mpasket/958236… – 3:12 PM
Chuck Cooperstein @coopmavs
In the 20 games that Jalen Brunson has played without Luka. 22.2 pts-7.2 asst on 49.6% FG/36.4% 3pt/81.6% FT – 10:08 AM
Justin Kubatko @jkubatko
Jalen Brunson last night:
✅ 31 PTS
✅ 5 AST
✅ 12-22 FG
✅ 7-7 FT
Since the NBA began tracking starters in 1970-71, only two players have scored more points in their first three postseason starts:
101 – Ja Morant
99 – LeBron James
96 – Brunson pic.twitter.com/dpCynGK6Aj – 9:31 AM
More on this storyline
NBA pro personnel scouts and executives polled by ESPN for this story anticipate that the floor for Brunson’s next contract will be an average annual salary of $20 million. The high end of the estimates range around $25 million per year. -via ESPN / April 25, 2022
The Pistons, according to league sources, see how well Brunson fits with Doncic and envision him similarly enhancing Cade Cunningham, the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft who is also a big-bodied scorer and playmaker. -via ESPN / April 25, 2022
“I told him once the season is started, that’s it,” Rick Brunson says. “I told the Mavericks, ‘Once the season is started, there’s no contract talk,’ and I went back against my word. In January, I thought he did enough where he deserved [the extension]. I said, ‘Hey, take the money, man.’ He wants security. He wants to live here. And they declined. “He didn’t turn s— down. Y’all declined first. When y’all came back to him, we said, ‘Hey, we just want to finish out the season and go from there.’” -via ESPN / April 25, 2022
