Jalen Brunson's impending contract decision could increase pressure on Knicks

Jalen Brunson will become eligible to sign a contract extension with the New York Knicks on Friday. However, he could earn a significant pay rise by waiting until next summer, when he could ink a max contract offer.

According to The Athletic's Fred Katz , the difference in value between extending now and waiting a year is north of $100M.

"If Brunson were to wait until 2025 free agency, he would be eligible to sign a max contract, worth a projected $269.1M over five years," Katz reported. "That’s a difference of $113M guaranteed. It’s a $39.1M average annual value in the extension versus a $53.8M one in the free-agent contract. And it’s possible the difference in money is too large, and Brunson waits until next summer to earn his quarter-billion."

The logical move for Brunson is to wait until next summer before signing his next contract. NBA careers are short. Players are wise to maximize their career earnings wherever possible. A $113M difference is too much to overlook.

However, if Brunson decides to wait it out, the Knicks must be prepared for media scrutiny. Brunson's performances will be consistently scrutinized. The media will want to know if he's happy in New York and postulate potential landing spots elsewhere around the NBA. We saw a similar media approach with Klay Thompson and the Golden State Warriors throughout the season.

That kind of media attention can be detrimental to a team. The Knicks have spent the majority of their tradable assets in recent months. First, they added OG Anunoby, and then they swung for the fences to bring in Mikal Bridges. A harmonious locker room is conducive to high-level success. Tom Thibodeau must find a way to keep the media narratives separate from the discussion within the franchise.

Brunson is vital to New York's chances of success . However, he has earned the opportunity to sign such a mammoth deal. As such, it will need to do everything in its power to keep him locked in next season. Otherwise, his mind could begin to wander into the following summer, and that's no good for anyone.