Knicks' Jalen Brunson Claims Mavericks 'Didn't Need Me' After NBA Finals Appearance

While Jalen Brunson rose to stardom in New York, the Dallas Mavericks were in the NBA Finals.

May 19, 2024; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) flexes his left hand during the third quarter of game seven of the second round of the 2024 NBA playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Jalen Brunson spent the first four seasons of his NBA career sporting a Dallas Mavericks jersey. Tagging alongside Luka Doncic -- both members of the 2018 NBA Draft class -- the two even went to war in the Western Conference Finals together in 2022.

The signs of stardom were always there for Brunson, even more so during the team's run during the 2021-22 NBA season. Following that season, though, Brunson commanded a $100 million-plus deal in free agency, which he received from the New York Knicks.

For Brunson, he says the Mavericks "didn't need" him after the two sides parted ways during an appearance on a Bleacher Report show.

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"They're in a position right now where they're in the finals, so clearly, they didn't need me," Brunson told Bleacher Report's Taylor Rooks.

Brunson averaged 28.7 points and 6.7 assists per game and finished No. 5 in MVP voting. He's taken a leap each of his two seasons, and in the meantime, the Mavericks have continued to retool their roster, which led to an NBA Finals appearance this past season.

"It's not on them. I have the utmost respect for that organization. I talk to Mark, I talk to all of them. I just thank them for everything. There are no grudges; we all move on. It is what it is,"Jalen continued.

There is no ill will for Brunson against the Mavericks, and Dallas' unwillingness to pay the 6-foot-2 All-Star guard ended up working out.

"I've definitely established myself more in the past two years than I did in my first four years for sure. But it's not a knock on anybody. You have to make decisions in a timely manner. It's just how it goes sometimes. Sometimes you strike gold; sometimes, you're digging for nothing," Brunson elaborated.

In this case, Brunson gets a chance to lead a team in New York while the Mavericks are well-suited for contention for the following years with a core of Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Klay Thompson.

READ MORE: Former Mavericks Guard Lobbies For Lakers' Spencer Dinwiddie to Return to Dallas

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