New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson has emerged into a star in The Big Apple after arriving as a free agent last season.
Brunson was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the 2018 NBA Draft with the 33rd overall pick.
After primarily serving as a role player in his first three seasons in the league, the 6-foot-2 guard had a breakout season with the Mavs in 2021-22, where he averaged 16.8 points and 4.8 assists, becoming the clear-cut second option of the team behind Luka Doncic.
With free agency looming after that campaign, the Mavericks were not willing to spend much money on him. Meanwhile, the Knicks offered an enormous contract, leading to his move.
The 27-year-old led the franchise to their first playoff series win in nearly a decade in the 2023 NBA Playoffs, averaging career-highs in many facets of his game and establishing himself as the main man for New York.
Jalen Brunson's Contract: $104 million
In the summer of 2022, Brunson signed with the New York Knicks as a free agent, inking a four-year deal worth $104 million with a player option in the final year.
During the same summer, Brunson's father Rick, who is a former NBA player, was hired by the Knicks to be one of their assistant coaches.
Interestingly, Knicks president Leon Rose, who was previously an agent, had represented both Rick and Jalen as clients in the past, establishing a prior professional relationship with the Brunson family.
Brunson started his NBA journey in 2018 by inking a four-year rookie-scale contract with the Mavericks after he was drafted. This initial deal was valued at $6.1 million.
Jalen Brunson's Career Earnings
By the end of the 2023-24 NBA season, Brunson is anticipated to have amassed a career earnings total of $60.1 million from his NBA salary alone, spanning his six-season tenure in the league, as reported by Spotrac.
This figure notably does not encompass any additional income derived from off-court ventures, including lucrative endorsement deals. Moreover, the sum does not factor in deductions for taxes, agent commissions, or other related business expenditures.
Should Brunson decide to exercise his player option for the 2025-26 season with the Knicks, his career earnings are projected to soar to $110 million by the end of his existing contract.
When negotiating his next contract, which would occur when he is either 30 or 31 years old, he may potentially secure his final lucrative NBA deal before transitioning into a veteran role.
Jalen Brunson Salary 2023
Bruson is set to take home $26,346,666 in the ongoing 2023-24 NBA season, according to figures from HoopsHype.
Unlike most NBA contracts, Brunson's pay decreases per season to make room for finanacial flexibility for the team in the latter years of the deal.
Last season, Brunson earned $27,733,332 on the first year of his new contract with the Knicks. This marked a remarkable pay raise compared to his salary in the 2021-22 season, which stood at $1,802,057, reflecting an impressive nearly fifteen-fold increase in earnings.
Next season, the former Villanova Wildcat will earn $24,960,001. Additionally, his player option for the subsequent 2025-26 NBA season is valued at the same amount.
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