Jalen Brunson is New York's Basketball Saint

Although the New York Knicks story of the summer revolved around Jalen Brunson's four-year, $156 million contract extension, there is another deal on the roster rivaling such a Good Samaritan gesture. What if someone told you the All-NBA point guard is currently on a discount deal?

Brunson is the best player on the Knicks but is ranked third in annual earnings for the 2024-25 season. Behind OG Anunoby and Julius Randle, Brunson is the next most expensive member of the New York franchise. Brunson will earn $24.9 million for the 2024-25 season.

However, if the Dallas Mavericks offered the point guard a five-year maximum contract in the 2022 free agency, the Knicks as a contender isn't a possibility, at least not in this era of the NBA.

Nonetheless, such a re-signing never happened, and Brunson ultimately signed a four-year, $104 million contract in 2022, leaving the Mavs' fan base in a split state. Brunson went on to help the Knicks make the playoffs and appear in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Brunson's success ascended for the 2023-24 season, even with Randle sidelined during the regular season and for the entire 2024 playoffs. Brunson made an All-Star game and earned All-NBA Second-Team honors before helping lead the Knicks to a two-seed.

In the playoffs, Brunson channeled his best inner Michael Jordan with the most consecutive 40-plus-point postseason games. In the Eastern Conference semifinals, Brunson averaged 32 points per game and played through a hurt leg against the Indiana Pacers.

Related: Jalen Brunson Bumps Mics with Mark Cuban

The Knicks are fortunate that their star point guard didn't ask for the maximum amount to play in New York.