Jalen Brunson signs $156.5 million deal in blockbuster deal with Knicks

But even in the ideal hypothetical scenario — where Brunson signs as a max free agent in 2028 — he can’t recoup the roughly $37 million difference over the first three years of the extension.

“Jalen signing this long-term contract extension with New York City demonstrates his dedication and passion for the organization, the fans and this city,” team president Leon Rose said in a statement. “Jalen has often called New York City his family and we are incredibly proud to have him wear the orange and blue and represent us for years to come. Since Jalen joined us two years ago, he has led by example and continues to demonstrate his willingness to sacrifice for this organization.”

By accepting a team-friendly deal, Brunson alleviates some of the concerns surrounding New York’s salary cap, and may help them avoid the dreaded second apron — the highest luxury tax threshold that severely limits the team’s ability to build a roster — as they compete for a title.

According to ESPN, Brunson studied the financial sacrifices made by Derek Jeter, Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady in order to develop a “blueprint” for building sustainable success around the star’s contract.

Of course, Friday’s deal wouldn’t have been possible if Brunson wasn’t happy playing in New York. It’s hard to imagine a better situation for the playmaker.

His father is an assistant coach, his old family friend (Rose) is the team president, his head coach (Tom Thibodeau) is a huge fan, and his Villanova friends are on the team.

The core group around him — OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Julius Randle, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo, Mitchell Robinson — are all between 26 and 29 years old.

It’s their prime window after a 50-win season that saw them eliminated in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals, a finish that left Brunson unsatisfied despite the Knicks’ injury woes.

“I would say there are positives and negatives to my game,” Brunson said after scoring a Michael Jordan-like goal in the playoffs. “The positives are that I played well individually at certain points and times during the playoffs. The negatives are that I didn’t play well enough to help my team move forward. You could say I got injured in Game 7.” [against the Pacers, when Brunson fractured his hand]I didn’t play well in game 7. We lost 2-0. [series] “We were 3-2 up, so it’s hard to look at things individually when you’re not helping your team.”

With the exception of Randle, most of the Knicks’ top players will remain in place through at least the 2025-26 season (Brunson, Anunoby, DiVincenzo, Hart, Mikal Bridges, Mitchell Robinson, Miles McBride).

Randle, who has a $31 million player option through the 2025-26 season, is eligible for an extension next month and has expressed a desire to re-sign.

He is eligible for a deal much higher than Brunson’s four-year deal, roughly $190 million.

Brunson’s maximum contract extension is based on his salary next season, which is just $25 million — far less than what he would expect under the NBA’s burgeoning salary cap of $60 million per year.

For example, Brunson will be paid about $12 million less next season than Anunoby, who secured a five-year, $212.5 million deal this summer.

Brunson will be 31 when he becomes a free agent in 2028, when he will be eligible for the veteran’s maximum of five years for an estimated $418 million.

That’s crazy money, more than Brunson probably envisioned as a second-round pick. But a lot can happen before 2028.

The only information is that Brunson is under contract at least until then, and he offered a huge discount to get there.