Has Knicks Star Peaked?

Can the New York Knicks star be better?

Jeremy Brener | Sep 12, 2024

Nov 26, 2023; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) drives past Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic (20) in the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

Jalen Brunson has been everything the New York Knicks have wanted — and then some.

In two years with the Knicks, Brunson has taken the franchise and his personal game to new heights, but does he have more gas in the tank to improve even more?

Bleacher Report writer Andy Bailey believes that Brunson will still be the Knicks' best player in three years, and there could be more up his sleeves.

"Jalen Brunson's ascension from solid backup point guard to fringe starter to MVP candidate has been remarkable to witness," Bailey writes. "This past season, he put up 28.7 points and 6.7 assists per game. He backed that up with 32.4 points and 7.5 assists in the playoffs. Even if that represents Brunson's peak, the chances that he'll be dramatically worse at 31 are slim. He will be one of the league's best point guards for the foreseeable future, so best player on the New York Knicks almost feels like a given."

After signing his long-term extension earlier this summer, Brunson has cemented his status as the future point guard of the Knicks for the rest of the decade. His contract won't expire for another six seasons, keeping him in orange and blue until the 2029-30 campaign when he turns 34 years old.

The Knicks have a lot of belief in Brunson and have given him the keys to the penthouse suite for a very long time. The Knicks wouldn't have signed him on for that long if they didn't feel he couldn't stay or improve from the level he is currently at.

It won't be easy for Brunson to reach more heights, but if he does, he may start to enter MVP conversations as a legitimate candidate for years to come.

Make sure you bookmark New York Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Sep 12, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.