Report: Knicks are really ready to spend big on point guard Jalen Brunson

The tight-lipped New York Knicks management has apparently leaked as the smoke surrounding their interest in Jalen Brunson is building.

Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report The Knicks are looking to free up $25 million in cap space to make room for Brunson, confirmed two days later by a report that they sold Kemba Walker’s $9 million contract and continued to use their lottery sign.

Marc Stein reports that Brunson’s lottery is real, and the Knicks are looking to take Brunson from the Mavericks on a roughly four-year, $100 million deal.

However, billionaire Mark Cuban reportedly only needs a four-year, $85-$88 million contract to keep him in Dallas. The Mavericks could also offer an additional year of contract offers thanks to Brunson’s bird rights. If the Knicks only target him in the Porzingis trade instead of Dennis Smith, those rights are theirs.

Even without these reports, the notorious CAA with Leon Rose’s son Sam as Brunson’s day-to-day agent and the Knicks quietly hired Rick Boo in early June after resigning from the Timberwolves in 2018 over harassment complaints Renson’s relationship as an assistant coach looms. Rick was Leon Rose’s first client as an agent, and he has remained in close contact with his family ever since.

It remains to be seen if any offer is out of the Mavs’ price range, and Cuban did tell Stan that “we can pay him more than anyone. I think he wants to stay, and that’s the most important thing.”

Brunson is coming to the end of his career, and with Luka Doncic out due to injury, he has had to step up, especially in the playoffs when he snatched a win from the Jazz. Brunson averaged 16 points in the regular season but 21.6 in the playoffs.

NBA free agency starts on June 30, but the Knicks are certainly already pursuing unrestricted free agency.