Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks recently agreed to a new four-year, $156.5 million contract extension with his team when he could have received a lot more.
That choice has a lot of people talking, including Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.
“He did the Draymond Green,” Green said on the Club 520 Podcast, per NBC Sports.
“I signed that [four-year contract] for [$100 million],” he added, saying he wanted to “lock my money in” and made a contract that guaranteed him $100 mililon rather than “chasing that extra [$60 million] or [$80 million] and then I don’t get it.”
Draymond Green believes Jalen Brunson followed his lead by taking a discount in his new contract 👀https://t.co/oxQm6neDdr
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) July 29, 2024
Green said he didn’t want to miss out on the money that was promised at that point: “I just wasn’t willing to take that risk.”
However, he isn’t entirely sure why Brunson chose a path similar to his, saying that he could have earned so much more because he is the top player for the Knicks.
He also added that the city of New York has fallen in love with Brunson, which leaves him positioned for an even heftier contract.
The truth is that Brunson chose to go with the four-year, $156 million deal instead of a five-year, $269.1 million one next year because it gave the Knicks more financial flexiblity in the months ahead.
They can pursue more talent for the roster because of the savings that Brunson allowed.
Green thinks the Knicks star was following in his footsteps but Brunson’s choice is getting a lot more attention.
It might also set a precendent for others and we could soon see more NBA players committing to pay cuts for the good of their teams.
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Insider Reveals What The Knicks Still Have To Figure Out