In retrospect, the Dallas Mavericks’ decision not to extend Jalen Brunson earlier may go down as one of the costliest mistakes in recent franchise history.
ESPN shed some light on why Dallas is hesitant to sign Brunson before the 2021-22 season, and it appears concerns about his fit with Luka Doncic played a big role.
The Mavericks were worried about how the Brunson-Doncic backcourt would hold up.
That concern stems from Dallas’ first-round playoff loss to the Los Angeles Clippers in 2020, when opposing teams repeatedly turned to both guards on defense.
As Brunson continues to improve, it is reported that rival teams are beginning to contact Dallas regularly to determine his availability in trade talks.
Despite his progress, the Mavericks chose not to entertain immediately, preferring to test whether their core can truly contend for the championship before making a long-term investment.
That gamble quickly backfired.
By the time Dallas was ready to make an offer, Brunson was already in high demand. He established himself as a starter next to Doncic and elevated his game during the 2022 playoffs, averaging 27.8 points in Dallas’ first-round win over the Utah Jazz while Doncic struggled with injuries.
After the trade deadline that season, Dallas gave Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith identical contract extensions. Finney-Smith accepted. The first one did not.
What the Mavericks failed to fully appreciate was just how strong Brunson’s connection to the New York Knicks organization had become.
“I think Jalen was loyal to the Mavs because they signed him, but the Knicks were his real family,” a Mavericks source told ESPN. “I don’t think we fully understand that.”
The relationship goes deeper than basketball. Knicks president Leon Rose previously represented both Jalen Brunson and his father Rick Brunson as an agent. Just before free agency opened in 2022, Rick Brunson also joined New York’s coaching staff as an assistant.
He eventually signed a four-year, $105 million contract with the Knicks and has developed into one of the league’s top point guards.
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