Jalen Brunson has a breakout playoff run with the Dallas Mavericks, averaging 21.6 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 3.7 APG. There’s no doubt that Brunson has played up to his value in the playoffs, and it is quite likely that a lot of teams will try to acquire him in free agency.
With that being said, it seems as though Jalen Brunson might be staying put. Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report has recently revealed that there is “a growing sense” among league personnel that Jalen Brunson will return to the team:
In the meantime, there’s a growing sense among league personnel that Jalen Brunson will return to Dallas following the Mavericks’ sprint to the Western Conference Finals. After Dallas’ defeat to Golden State, Mavericks governor Mark Cuban reaffirmed to Marc Stein the confidence team personnel have projected in keeping Brunson. Dallas indeed can offer him an additional fifth year and, therefore, more money than any rival, especially New York. With Brunson’s next salary expected to exceed $20 million annually, perhaps John Collins’ recent five-year, $125 million extension in Atlanta will be a good benchmark for Brunson to remain in Dallas.
A lot of things can change between now and free agency, and Jalen Brunson could still choose to leave the Dallas Mavericks. The Detroit Pistons are a team that could potentially be interested in acquiring him according to reports. With that being said, this report is certainly a good indication of where his heart lies ahead of his first free agency.
The Dallas Mavericks will try to compete next year, and re-signing Jalen Brunson can’t be the only move of the offseason for them if they are trying to build a contender around Luka Doncic. However, getting Brunson back will be a good start, and we’ll see what other moves the Dallas Mavericks execute to try and get themselves a championship next season.
