Carrying the Momentum: NBA Players with Breakout Potential This Season
ProFitX 2022 NBA Contract Report: Jalen Brunson
Nick Crain
11/1/22
During the offseason, Jalen Brunson signed a new four-year, $104 million contract with the New York Knicks.
At this moment, the Athledex platform projects Brunson’s Real-Time Contract Value to be $35.74 million, while he’s making $27.73 million this season.
Why is this a good deal for the Knicks? Brunson is the point guard they’ve been looking to acquire for over a decade.
Since 2010, New York has been a revolving door of starting point guards. The Knicks have featured a different starter every year on opening night, none of which have been the right fit.
Real-Time Contract Value: $35.74 million
Why is this a good deal for the Knicks? Brunson is the point guard they’ve been looking to acquire for over a decade.
Since 2010, New York has been a revolving door of starting point guards. The Knicks have featured a different starter every year on opening night, none of which have been the right fit.
- 2010: Ray Felton
- 2011: Toney Douglas
- 2012: Ray Felton
- 2013: Pablo Prigioni
- 2014: Shane Larkin
- 2015: Jose Calderon
- 2016: Derrick Rose
- 2017: Ramon Sessions
- 2018: Trey Burke
- 2019: Allonzo Trier
- 2020: Elfrid Payton
- 2021: Kemba Walker
- 2022: Jalen Brunson
Lack of Turnovers
Through Brunson’s first two games in a Knicks uniform, he produced 15 assists with zero turnovers. The key to every great point guard is not only to facilitate the offense but also minimize mistakes and manage the game. To this point, Brunson has done just that as he’s showcasing his improved decision making and offensive IQ.
Makes Teammates Better
With a legit point guard on the roster, guys like Julius Randle and RJ Barrett can be the best version of themselves. Randle is already scoring more with Brunson on the team than he did last year and he’s shooting a whopping 10% better from the floor. Barrett is struggling statistically, with poor shooting percentages thus far, but he’s getting good looks and is a +11.3 on the floor this season. He fits nicely alongside Brunson, who is averaging seven assists per contest.
Efficient Scorer
Brunson is averaging 17.7 points per game while shooting 41.7% from beyond the arc. He’s great at letting the game come to him and not forcing shots. He can be a primary scorer when needed, which we saw in Dallas last year when Luka Doncic was out, but he has also shown willingness to be third option in New York and let Randle, Barrett and others get their shots.
Underrated Defender
Although he’s a bit undersized, Brunson has a strong base and is an underrated defender. He’s averaging a steal per game this season and is able to play physical against opposing guards. The Knicks’ defensive rating was 110.5 last season, but it’s much improved through three games this season with Brunson.
Real-Time Contract Value: $35.74 million