NBA Rumors: Knicks "Gaining Major Momentum" In Brunson Pursuit

The New York Knicks aren't fooling around. While observers scratched their heads about the team's trading out of the draft Thursday night, internally, the Knicks were accomplishing their goal: To be a "very, very, very real" threat to landing free agent Jalen Brunson, as NBA Insider Marc Stein put it. 

"The New York Knicks are gaining major momentum in their bid to sign Jalen Brunson away from the Dallas Mavericks in free agency, league sources say." 👀

(@TheSteinLine) pic.twitter.com/SAlcb8lG9M

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) June 24, 2022

Stein says after the Knicks' moves Thursday night, clearing cap space, with more still to come, that they are "gaining major momentum in their bid to sign Jalen Brunson away from the Dallas Mavericks in free agency." 

The Knicks are expected to make a 4-year offer of about $100M to Brunson. Sources said that after the season, the Mavericks expected a 4-year offer in the $85-$88M range to be enough to bring him back. But now the Knicks are setting up to blow that away. 

Sources are telling Stein that Brunson really wants to make this move to Madison Square Garden, and become the lead guard on a Knicks team that has also signed his father, Rick Brunson, to be an assistant coach. In addition, team president Leon Rose is his former agent, not to mention being essentially "a family member" after making dad Rick his first client.

Bottom line... Mark Cuban should be very, very scared right now. 

Photo Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports