Knicks star Jalen Brunson clarifies 'do right by me' comments regarding future contract

New York Knicks superstar Jalen Brunson made waves in an interview last week when he discussed his four-year, $156.5 million extension he signed with New York in the summer of 2024. The Villanova product signed the deal a year early, taking a $113 million pay cut to give the Knicks more flexibility as they continued to build the roster around their star guard.

"A lot of people say I sacrificed for the team. One hundred percent I sacrificed for the team...Obviously we’d love for them to do right by me. I think anyone would. I feel like I sacrificed," Brunson told Vanity Fair.

You could absolutely frame Brunson's comments as a threat. He's extension-eligible again in the summer of 2027, and could look to get the money back from the Knicks he sacrificed last time around on his next deal. Otherwise, New York could risk losing their star point guard.

Jalen Brunson clarifies comments regarding next contract extension

In an exclusive interview with the New York Post's Stefan Bondy, Brunson clarified his comments, making sure it was clear to Knicks fans that he's in it for the long haul.

"I would love to be here for the rest of my career. I love this place. They’ve welcomed me with open arms. They’ve been behind my back since Day 1. I built a life here. And I love the city, I love the fans, I love everything this place has offered me, on and off the court. So I just love it here. And I’d love to stay," Brunson told Bondy.

While Brunson made clear he's looking to make New York his home for the rest of his career, he didn't deny wanting the Knicks to do right by him the next time he's owed a new contract.

Brunson is eligible for a four-year, $323 million deal if he waits to sign until 2028. In 2029, the contract would balloon to a five-year, $418 million pact, according to Sports Illustrated's Jayesh Pagar. Both would easily be the largest contracts in Knicks history.

The problem is, Brunson's abilities could be in decline by then. Will New York's front office overpay for a small guard in his early to mid-thirties just because he took a pay cut almost a half-decade earlier?

There are a lot of factors at play, and it depends on who's still in charge of the Knicks front office at that point. Maybe with a championship under his belt, Brunson has all the right in the world to demand what the team owes him.

But it's nothing to worry about right now, Knicks fans. There's still a lot of basketball remaining until Brunson is due up for his next extension.

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