Jalen Brunson thought he deserved an Olympic spot with Team USA last summer

Brunson is careful to point out that his deal is technically only a relative discount. “Everyone says, ‘Oh, I’ll take 113 less,’” he recalled. “Well, to be honest, I did the most I could do this year.” Still, his decision makes it much more likely that the Knicks can continue to add and retain talent around him, like Bridges, who will soon receive an extension of his own. “Obviously it helps the team, and I want this team to stay together as long as possible and try to do something special here,” he said. -via GQ.com / October 10, 2024