Dec 8, 2023; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives to the basket during the first half against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
If New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson came knocking on any NBA team’s door, they’d likely welcome him with open arms, but the way he sees it, his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, didn’t feel as if they needed him to reach the league’s pinnacle this summer.
Brunson had this to say to Bleacher Report’s Taylor Rooks as the Mavericks battled the Boston Celtics in the 2024 NBA Finals (h/t Kade Kimble of Fan Nation’s Dallas Basketball).
“They’re in a position right now where they’re in the finals, so clearly, they didn’t need me,” the Knicks superstar remarked.
“It’s not on them. I have the utmost respect for that organization. I talk to Mark, I talk to all of them. I just thank them for everything. There are no grudges; we all move on. It is what it is,” Brunson continued.
The Villanova product was vital toward Luka Doncic and the Mavericks graduating to new levels of success in the NBA Western Conference during his tenure with the ball club. Brunson helped spearhead a Mavs team that went from 42 wins in 2020-21 to 52 wins in 2021-22 and a Western Conference Finals berth that spring.
His 16.3 points in the 2021-22 regular season was elevated to 28.7 PPG in his coming-out party against the Utah Jazz in the first round, 18.7 PPG in the Conference Semifinals, and 18 PPG in the Conference Finals against the eventual champion Golden State Warriors.
When push came to shove, Brunson evolved into an MVP candidate for the Knicks in 2023-24. Upon leaving Dallas in the summer of 2022, the Mavericks had a down year following their Conference Finals berth before Doncic and his New All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving helped the franchise reach the Finals for only the second time ever.
The common denominator in both instances was Doncic having a 25 PPG bucket-getter at his side. Even Brunson himself attested to not seeing himself becoming the player that he is now, but had he stayed in Dallas, there’s no telling the amount of success they would have enjoyed.
