Prior to the 2025-26 season, the New York Knicks are locking in their core and have secured a four-year, $150 million contract and secured the franchise cornerstone Jalen Brunson in place.
With Mike Brown taking over as head coach, the Knicks hope to make a bigger leap after the recent playoff season.
Although Brunson has established himself as one of the NBA's elite guards, his next big stage could be completely out of the league.
“[Brunson] “It should be easy to slip into the vacancy left by Curry. Brunson has developed into one of the most prolific shooting guards in the world, and despite his lack of scale, his tenacity and intelligence should allow him to keep his defense on the international stage. He has not yet made an Olympic appearance, but Brunson won members of the U18 and U19 teams and won a key member of the 2023 World Cup team.”
The 28-year-old is a strong candidate for the 2024 Olympic roster, but ultimately missed it. With his continued rise, this absence may just be delayed.
Brunson is already an elite in the NBA Guard. In Hoopshype's Frank Urbina's ranking, he was tagged as “the most important New York Knicks player in a decade.”
Urbina put him in third place in the league, only behind Lakers' Luka Doncic and Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
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