Young point guard Jalen Brunson isn’t on the same level as Kevin Durant or Kyrie Irving, but he was an important member of the Dallas Mavericks and a huge catalyst behind their Conference Finals run this past season.
With Brunson now set to. join the Knicks this summer, his ties with the Mavs are a thing of the past now. On Instagram on Saturday, the young stud sent his last message to the city of Dallas for welcoming him with open arms:
“Dallas, thank you for everything! You have embraced me from the moment you drafted me,” Brunson wrote. “You believed in me and were able to watch me grow as a person and a player. This city will forever hold a special place in my heart. Thank you Mark, Nico, JKidd, and the rest of the coaching staff for putting me in a position to succeed. My teammates, without you, none of this would’ve been possible. You guys made my life easier on the court but you were all better people off it. I couldn’t be more thankful for the training staff, strength and conditioning staff, and the rest of the organisation with their unconditional love and support. Lastly, the fans. You guys have been there every step of the way with me. Thank you for making my experience in Dallas incredible. Even if most of you are Cowboys fans, you guys accepted an Eagles fan without hesitation (I hope ) Thank you for everything. Always Love.”
Brunson was huge for the Mavericks this year. As the second option on offense and sidekick to Luka Doncic, he averaged 16.3 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game on 50.2% shooting.
Without a replacement for him, Luka’s squad will take a pretty significant step back in the West.
Meanwhile, in New York, the Knicks are hoping Brunson will be the piece they have lacked all of these years. As a premier point guard, his talents at the position should help New York control the offense and maximize every shooter on the team. On paper, at least, it’s truly a match made in heaven.
