Could Mavs Jalen Brunson Reunite With Rick Carlisle On Pacers?

Dallas Mavericks guard Jalen Brunson is already drawing interest from the Indiana Pacers ahead of his free agency.

The top storyline facing the Dallas Mavericks ahead of the upcoming offseason will undoubtedly be the free agency of Jalen Brunson. After pulling off a career year with averages of 16.2 points and 4.8 assists, he's created a legitimate market for himself. 

The interest the New York Knicks have in Brunson is not secret. Between the ties of Brunson's father, Rick, with the organization, coupled with a need for a long-term answer at the point guard spot, pursuing a stable option in free agency is logical for New York. 

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Recently, the Detroit Pistons have become more frequently linked to Brunson. The team is eyeing a secondary ball-handler to pair with Cade Cunningham, given that they view him as having a similar style as Luka Doncic and want to build their roster accordingly. 

The latest on Brunson's free agency features reporting from NBA reporter Marc Stein, who states how the Indiana Pacers are being increasingly regarded as a potential suitor.

"The Pacers, furthermore, are projected to have cap space this summer and are increasingly regarded as a team with designs on joining Detroit and New York in the bidding for Dallas unrestricted free-agent-to-be Jalen Brunson," Stein wrote. "Carlisle knows Brunson's game extremely well after coaching him in his first three seasons."

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It's worth questioning if the Pacers would be best suited to pursue Brunson, given that their roster construction efforts are predicated around the timeline of 22-year-old Tyrese Haliburton. Brunson, who will be 26 on Aug. 31, may not be the best use of resources for Indiana — especially if their first-round pick in the 2022 NBA Draft were to net them a guard talent like home-state hero Jaden Ivey from Purdue. 

While the Knicks, Pistons, and Pacers have been linked to Brunson, it's still very early in the process to identify a complete market. There are already concerns about him being an undersized guard and how his skill-set translates to playoff basketball after struggling against the LA Clippers in last year's postseason. It'll be vital for him to have a successful playoff performance for the Mavericks this time around. 

The Mavericks are reportedly planning to “do all they can” to retain Brunson when he reaches free agency. To avoid potential luxury tax implications, Dallas could be primed to move on from a large contract that isn't viewed as an integral part of the team — such as Tim Hardaway Jr. or Davis Bertans.