Jalen Brunson, Mavs Set For New York Meeting

The Mavericks and free agent guard Jalen Brunson are meeting Thursday in New York, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Brunson is considered one of the most-sought-after available players this offseason, which free agency set to tip off Thursday at 6 p.m. EST.

He has widely been linked to the Knicks, who have cleared the necessary cap space to make an impactful signing.

“The Mavericks are indeed sending their contingent to New York today for a meeting with Jalen Brunson after 6 PM ET,” Stein reported. “Team owner Mark Cuban was already in NYC this week on non-NBA business and will be joined by Nico Harrison, Michael Finley and Jason Kidd.”

Meanwhile, the Knicks recently hired Brunson’s father, Rick Brunson, as an assistant coach. They appear confident that they can steal Brunson away from Dallas, where he had a breakout season.

Brunson, 25, is 6-foot-1 and just finished his fourth year with the Mavericks, averaging career-highs of 16.3 points, 4.8 assists and 3.9 rebounds. 

Cuban sounded confident immediately following the season that the Mavs would re-sign Brunson.

“We can pay him more than anybody,” Cuban told Stein. “I think he wants to stay and that’s important.”

He added that Brunson likely benefitted from playing under Kidd, a Hall of Fame point guard who was in his first season coaching the Mavs. Brunson, no doubt, had a breakout year.

“I think J-Kidd has a big part to play in that,” Cuban told Stein. “JB blossomed as a player as much as anybody on the squad. From where he was last year to how far he came this year is a tribute to Jalen and how hard he worked.

“The support he got from his dad, his family, his girlfriend, but also what he was able to learn to from J-Kidd. And I think he recognizes that and I think he wants to stay.”