New York Knicks forward Josh Hart took exception to Draymond Green’s critique of Jalen Brunson, who received plaudits for his financial sacrifice to help his team win this year’s NBA championship.
Brunson left $113 million on the table when he signed a contract extension in July 2024 to give the Knicks more flexibility to build a stronger team around him. During a recent episode of the Club 520 podcast, Green thinks that a player of Brunson’s caliber shouldn’t have taken a discount
“It’s the New York Knicks, bro. They can afford it. You ain’t got to take no discount for them to get paid… He the top guy. Let Josh Hart or somebody else take less. They in my role. I don’t know what he doing. That’s $100 million,” Green explained.
MORE: Jalen Brunson receives praise from Knicks fans for offseason work
“We got to normalize grown men not counting other peoples pockets,” Hart replied on X.
Jalen Brunson urged to take $300 million contract extension next summer
Jun 13, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) walks off the court after the Knicks defeat the San Antonio Spurs during game five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
After leading the New York Knicks to their first Larry O’Brien trophy since 1973, Jalen Brunson won the award for the Best Athlete in Men’s Sports at the ESPYs.
Given what he has achieved in the past few months, ESPN analyst Vincent Goodwill believes that the three-time All-Star is well within his rights to demand much higher pay when he becomes eligible for a new contract extension.
“Jalen Brunson is going to come get all of his money,” Goodwill said on The Hoop Collective. “Every bit of money – I won’t say sacrificed. He signed a year early, right? He could have signed for $100 million more by signing later. Every dollar of that $280 million or $300 million that he’s supposed to get, he’s going to get all of that.”
Brunson will earn at least $37 million in 2026-27 and 2027-28 before he can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2028, when he’ll be 32 years old.
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