Source: Alexander Tamargo / Getty
Jalen Brunson may be the most loved man in New York for agreeing to a four-year, $156 million extension and leaving $113 million on the table for the Knicks to bolster the roster, but not everyone would be as selfless.
Former New York Knick Carmelo Anthony appeared on Paul George‘s Podcast P and admitted he wouldn’t have taken a team-friendly deal for the sake of the franchise.
“I’m not doing it,” he said on Podcast P. “… He’s making something [on the back end]. He should be making something, $113 million, to make that up on the back end is crazy. I don’t know the logic and the thinking behind why he did it. There has to be a reason, something very specific.”
Carmelo found out Jalen Brunson took a $113m discount with the Knicks as we were recording the episode.
Here’s his reaction
@ATT pic.twitter.com/WeCuLgyq7T
— Podcast P with Paul George (@PodcastPShow) July 24, 2024
Anthony went on to explain that he’s not the only person who would critique Brunson’s decision and thinks that no matter what happened within contract negotiations, people would be critical of his decision. Still, there’s a bigger vision in play.
“It’s a lose-lose situation,” Anthony added. “If you leave money on the table, people got something to say. If you take the contract, people got something to say. So at the end of the day, it’s do what’s best for you. I think JB knows his situation. ‘I’ll take a discount to get my man, my brother on the team.’ He’s working with the Knicks. It’s a situation they’re going to figure out. He’s got more coming.”
Either way, the pay cut allowed the Knicks to resign OG Anunoby and made the Mikal Bridges trade even more attractive.
And it’s not all bad news for Brunson. If he’s able to stay healthy, ward off injuries, and have more stellar seasons with the rest of his Villanova buddies, the Knicks are poised to do right by him the next time he inks a contract worth $417 million in 2028.
See how social media is reacting to Melo’s opinion below.
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