The New York Knicks finally have a starting point guard in Jalen Brunson. But what do former NBA players think about the signing?
Jose Calderon, Shane Larkin, Alexey Shved, Jerian Grant, Brandon Jennings, Jarret Jack, Ramon Sessions, Emmanuel Mudiay, Frank Ntilikina, and Elfrid Payton—these are just a few of the starting point guards for the New York Knicks over the last several years. These players lasted only a few years in the league, were far past their prime, or would (and currently) warm the far end of the bench on any other competently structured roster. Despite a few meager flashes of solid point guard play (such as Jeremy Lin, Jason Kidd, and Trey Burke), the Knicks have had a desolation of talent, which was never more apparent than in the 2021-22 season.
Leon Rose’s 21-22 off-season mistakes forced fans to watch 82 more games of subpar point guard play. Kemba Walker strived valiantly but ultimately failed to overcome the limitations of his deteriorating body. Tom Thibodeau, like a blindfolded toddler, kept trying to fit a square peg in a round hole as Alec Burkes did what he could to generate offense. Meanwhile, Immanuel Quickley languished on the bench, still lacking the consistency to make plays and score efficiently. Not even a fourth of the way through the season, one objective for the Knicks emerged clearer than the sun on a cloudless day: They needed a point guard.
Well, ladies and gentlemen, the Knicks front office got the baller they needed: Jalen Brunson
Brunson is an efficient three-level scorer. He carries a deep bag of pivots, ball fakes, pull-up midrange jumpers, and a three-point shot. On top of that, Brunson is one of the most efficient finishers at the rim and has a solid assist-to-turnover ratio. He is also on point mentally, knowing what it is like to climb the NBA ladder while being doubted at every rung along the way. Brunson is the type of player the Knicks have wanted for years now.
But anytime the Knicks do something remotely competent, fans come out of the woodwork saying the “championship” word. Can this player be one to lead us to the promised land? (A curious mentality to have while they overvalue every young person on the roster.) It’s a worthwhile question, even if it’s grossly optimistic. Can Jalen Brunson be the starting point guard on a contender? What is his ceiling?
When our very own CP “The Fanchise” attended the Point Gods premiere in New York City, he interviewed some star attendees to gauge their reaction to the Brunson signing.
Mark Jackson called him a “tremendous player” with a “bright future” and a “well-deserved contract.” He also added that Jalen is “a lot better than Rick [Brunson],” which Jalen also hilariously admitted to. Far be it from Mark Jackson to say anything remotely disparaging about a family friend, but he clearly thinks Jalen can succeed in New York.
“Get the players that want to be (in New York)… the Ewing’s, the Oakley’s, the Mason’s… the players that want to turn the franchise around,” says Rafer Alston, former NBA pro and New York streetball legend. A generous nine-figure contract certainly helps.
But, of course, Jalen didn’t accept based on the contract alone because coming to the Knicks was also a choice of comfort. On JJ Reddick’s podcast, The Old Man and the Three, Brunson said, “Leon saw me before my dad (after I was born).” Tampering charges be damned! That type of plausible deniability will save us a second-round pick!
According to Nancy Lieberman, Jalen’s move to New York “could galvanize other players to join.” She added, “he’s not going to be a number one (option), but he could be a two or three.” A reasonable take, if optimistic. Ideally, Jalen could play a similar role as Kyle Lowry, Derek Fischer, or Jrue Holiday fulfilled on their championship teams.
What is one characteristic these players brought to their team? Consistency. God Shammgod, the progenitor of the Shammgod dribble technique, says, “people don’t know how much consistency matters till they have a person like [Jalen] they can count on.”
Think about it… who was the most consistent player on the Knicks last year? Taj Gibson. How nice was it to have Taj on the floor, knowing that he would play hard defense, get boards, and score a bucket or two? Next to players like Julius Randle or RJ Barrett, a consistent player is something to covet.
Despite the fiasco process of acquiring him (mostly born of their ineptitude), ultimately the front office deserves props for the signing. If Jalen resumes play near the level of his playoff run, the Knicks will have a young, worthwhile starting point guard. When was the last time we could say that? Given the list of players at the beginning, that’s something to finally be excited about.
Stay tuned to KnicksFanTV.com for the latest Knicks news, rumors, and recaps throughout the 2021-22 NBA season. And in case you missed it, check out the rest of the Red Carpet Interviews by CP at the NYC Point Gods Documentary premiere!
