CUBAN THAW
Mavericks owner appears at peace with Brunson's bolt to Knicks
LAS VEGAS — If there are hard feelings between the Mavericks and the Knicks over Jalen Brunson, Mark Cuban did a good job of hiding any animosity.
The Dallas owner had only positive things to say on Friday about the point guard who has agreed to a four-year, $104 million deal to join the Knicks.
“Jalen earned the right to do that,” Cuban told The Post from the NBA summer league at the Thomas and Mack Center. “NBA teams always say, well, it’s a business when you trade somebody or whatever, and it’s a business. He earned the right to make a decision as a free agent. So he made the choice. More power to him. I wish him nothing but the best.
“Jalen is a great basketball player. That’s why we wanted to keep him. The Knicks will love him; the city will love him. The thing about Jalen, you give him a task and tell him where to improve his game, he’ll work his ass off to do it. You guys got a good one.”
Brunson, 25, developed into a difference-maker with the Mavericks after getting selected in the second round in 2018. He helped Dallas reach the Western Conference final this year after a breakout postseason performance saw him average 21.6 points in 18 playoff games.
When asked about reports of potential tampering by the Knicks, Cuban smiled.
“That’s up to the NBA, that’s not my job” the owner said.
The Knicks hired Brunson’s father, Rick, to join coach Tom Thibodeau’s staff, and team president Leon Rose’s son, Sam, is Brunson’s agent.
Cuban also didn’t have a problem with Knicks executives William Wesley and Allan Houston, along with forward Julius Randle, attending an opening-round playoff game between the Mavericks and Jazz, which drew
headlines at the time.
“Oh, I don’t care. They can buy tickets,” Cuban said. “Being at a playoff game doesn’t change anything.”
Two other members of the Mavericks, coach Jason Kidd and former Knick Reggie Bullock, also discussed Brunson’s departure on Friday.
“We can’t replace Brunson. He’s a great player,” Kidd said on ESPN. “I’m happy for him and his family, signing a deal in New York. It’s well deserved. We wanted him back, but he picked New York.”
Bullock, who enjoyed a strong season with the Knicks in 2020-21 but wasn’t brought back, had similar positive things to say about Brunson.
He did offer an interesting thought on him joining the Knicks, though.
“That’s his problem, that’s him,” Bullock, who is close with Randle and Thibodeau, told The Post. He later said: “He’ll do great. Great off-the-court guy. … Great point guard, works hard, he’s going to lead them into the right direction.”
Cuban declined to say if the Mavericks considered upping their offer to Brunson. ESPN had reported they were only willing to offer him a five-year deal in the ballpark of the fouryear, $85 million deal Raptors
guard Fred VanVleet signed in 2020. Brunson declined a four-year, $55.5 million contract from Dallas after the trade deadline, and now he is a Knick.
“I’m happy for him. It’s not like he was just some guy, well, he was just a player, he got his money,” Cuban said. “He’s a good guy, man. He’s got a heart of gold. There’s nothing not to like.”