Knicks Success Starts and Ends With One Player

A single star guard has been vital for the New York Knicks.

Jan 13, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) brings the ball up court against the Detroit Pistons during the first quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks are emerging as a top team in the Eastern Conference thanks to a trio of trades for OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns, but make no mistake, the team still belongs to Jalen Brunson.

The Knicks' success last season was dependent on Brunson, and this season is no different.

ESPN senior writer Tim Bontemps believes Brunson has one of the best value contracts in the NBA.

"One of the bigger fork-in-the-road moments of the past few offseasons was Brunson leaving the Dallas Mavericks and signing a four-year, $100 million contract as a free agent with the Knicks. That the deal came a generation after Steve Nash left Dallas to sign a free agent contract with Phoenix, where he blossomed into a Hall of Fame point guard, is an irony that surely isn't enjoyed by Mavericks fans," Bontemps writes.

"Brunson has turned himself into a 25-point-per-game scorer and a 40% 3-point shooter (with volume) while also solidifying his already sterling reputation as one of the best leaders and locker room presences in the league. He has been the central figure in New York's rise to potential championship contention, in no small part due to the $113 million less he took on his latest extension, allowing New York to further build out its roster."

The Knicks are reaping the benefits of the decision that they made, and it has given them a true franchise cornerstone, which is arguably the hardest part about building a contender nowadays.

With Brunson locked in as the Knicks' No. 1 guy for the next five or six years, New York has the hardest part of building a contender done. Now, they need to find the right supporting cast to uplift Brunson during these late playoff runs the team should make in the foreseeable future.

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