The New York Knicks advanced to the 2026 NBA Finals following a 130-93 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Rocket Arena on Monday. The Knicks have now finally ended a 27-year Finals drought, and Jalen Brunson is a big reason why.
While all the talk has been about what Brunson, the Eastern Conference Finals MVP, did on the court, he made a notable sacrifice to make all of this happen off it. In 2024, the three-time All-Star agreed to a four-year, $156.5 million deal with the Knicks, even though he could have gotten a five-year, $269 million contract as a free agent in 2025. It was a $113 million discount, a ridiculous number.
Brunson made that sacrifice so that the Knicks could build a better team around him in this apron era, which might just be the toughest for roster creation. The penalties for being a second apron team are just crippling. Brunson’s willingness to take that monetary hit played a big part in the Knicks making a whole lot of big moves without ever becoming a second apron team.
First, in June 2024, the Knicks gave OG Anunoby a five-year, $212.5 million contract. That’s about $42.5 million a year, a significant financial commitment.
Then, in July, the Knicks acquired Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets for a massive haul that notably included five first-round picks. They also knew Bridges would be eligible for an extension in 2025, and it wasn’t going to be a cheap deal by any means (eventually signed for four years and $150 million).
At the time, you wondered just how long the Knicks would be able to hold on to all these pieces. Julius Randle was eligible for an extension in 2024, and Brunson was surely going to get all of that $269 million in 2025, right?
Well, days after the Bridges trade, Brunson signed his deal. Notably, it came at around $39.1 million a year, shockingly even lower than Anunoby’s. When was the last time you had seen a first option agree to make less than the third? That was unthinkable. Brunson explained his reasons later that offseason.
“It made the most sense,” Brunson said. “You always want to make sure you’re set up for wealth for your family, but it was kinda simple. I want to be here. I want to show that actions speak louder than just talking about stuff. I want this team to be together for a long time. I want to win here. That’s it.”
Brunson had already become a fan favorite in New York by then, and their love for him only grew with this. The Knicks weren’t done making moves, though. They shocked the basketball world by acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves in October for a package centered around Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.
Towns’ four-year, $220 million deal was just kicking in from the 2024-25 season. It was another massive contract to take on. Would the Knicks have done it if a huge Brunson deal were coming a year later? Maybe not, as that would have made them a second apron team in 2025-26.
The Knicks are currently forking out about $137 million combined this season to Towns, Anunoby, Bridges, and Josh Hart. The fact that they can commit that much to four players, have a superstar next to them, and some quality players, and still not be a second apron team is incredible.
Brunson deserves so much credit for making all of this possible. The 29-year-old hopes the Knicks will do right by him, as he sacrificed for the team. Brunson would be eligible for a five-year extension worth a projected $417 million in 2028. That’d be a humungous deal, and you wonder whether the franchise will do the right thing. That’s a long way away, though.
For now, Brunson’s focus is on helping the Knicks win their first title in 53 years. They will be underdogs whether they face the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder, but they go into the series in red-hot form, having won 11 playoff games in a row.
While Brunson has been immense, Towns, Bridges, Anunoby, and Hart have all played their parts. The Knicks wouldn’t be where they are without their contributions.
