In the summer of 2022, the Dallas Mavericks were coming off their first Western Conference Finals appearance since 2011.
While superstar Luka Doncic was leading the way, point guard Jalen Brunson was a revelation, averaging 21.6 points per game on 47% shooting from the field.
Brunson, the Mavericks‘ 33rd overall pick in the 2018 NBA draft, was set to become a free agent that summer, and although Dallas could have negotiated with the former Villanova star all season, he entered free agency and ended up signing with the New York Knicks.
The rest, as they say, is history.
Mark Cuban, the former majority owner and now minority owner of the Mavericks, is still not over the messy negotiation process that ended up costing the Knicks a future draft pick due to tampering.
In an appearance on Pablo Torre Finds Out, Cuban was asked if he felt New York circumvented the salary cap to land Brunson.
“I don’t know, I just think there was a lot at play there,” said Cuban.
The Jalen Brunson Negotiation Process
Brunson’s free agency process was a tricky one.
First, the New York Knicks had to clear the salary cap space to offer Brunson the four-year $104 million contract he would eventually receive.
New York traded center Nerlens Noel and guard Alec Burks to the Detroit Pistons to clear $19 million in cap space, giving up two future second-round picks in the process.
This gave the Knicks just enough cap room to sign Brunson, but their preparation didn’t start there.
New York had hired Rick Brunson, Jalen’s father, as an assistant coach just one month before the start of free agency, which complicated negotiations.
The former 33rd pick in the 2018 NBA draft would go on to sign with the Knicks, feeling slighted by Dallas, having dangled him in trade discussions and continuously kicking the can down the road on an extension.
That didn’t stop the league from investigating the signing, which would end up costing the Knicks a future pick from tampering charges.
“The NBA announced today that the New York Knicks violated league rules governing the timing of this season’s free agency discussions and that the league has rescinded New York’s own second-round pick in the 2025 Draft,” read the NBA’s statement after finding New York guilty.
“This outcome reflected a finding, following an investigation, that the Knicks engaged in free agency discussions involving Jalen Brunson prior to the date when such discussions were permitted.”
Cuban’s Response
Pablo Torre, who is notorious for digging up dirt and breaking major news stories around the sporting world, asked Cuban if he feels the New York Knicks and Brunson should be worried about a future episode of his show.
“That’s behind me, we’re proud of JB, we’re proud of everything,” Cuban said.
“Was I happy that they only got dinged for a second-round pick? No. No, it should’ve been far worse. But, it is what it is.”
Torre could be referring to the initial free agent negotiation, but it’s also possible he will take a deeper look into Brunson’s second contract with the Knicks.
The four-year $156.5 million extension the Knicks star received in the summer of 2024 was a massive pay cut.
Brunson could’ve waited for a five-year, $270 million deal, but opted to take less money.
Shortly after, Rick Brunson received a promotion on the Knicks coaching staff, prompting another investigation into salary cap circumvention.
The NBA concluded its investigation in December 2024, but as we all know, Torre may be able to uncover something that has been long buried by the Knicks’ front office or Brunson’s representation.
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