source: Instagram/@jalenbrunson1
Before Jalen Brunson became an All-Star with the New York Knicks, he was honing his skills with the Dallas Mavericks. He rose from a role player to a Sixth Man of the Year candidate, eventually becoming a starter.
Looking back, Brunson’s growth with the Knicks has sparked some curiosity about his time with the Mavericks. Could he have continued with Dallas, teaming up with Luka Doncic for a title shot? Or was he always going to be a secondary option there?
That chapter is closed now, and both teams are in good places. The Mavericks reached the NBA Finals in 2024, while the Knicks have made it to the Eastern Conference semifinals for two consecutive years after nearly a decade of playoff droughts.
Recently, Jalen Brunson invited Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban onto his podcast. Naturally, one hot topic was Brunson’s 2022 free agency. At that time, Cuban was still the Mavericks’ majority owner, heavily involved in all basketball operations.
During their chat, Brunson admitted there was one thing about the negotiation that didn’t sit well with him.
Jalen Brunson shared, “The only thing I didn’t like was when Mark said, ‘Things got messy when the parents got involved.’ That felt like a bit of a jab.”
Cuban, when asked about this in April 2023, chose not to delve into the details. He responded, “I didn’t want to go there… there’s no reason for us to talk about any of that stuff.” However, he did offer an apology to Brunson: “I apologize if it put you in a certain way. That wasn’t the intention.”
Cuban added, “It was a hard negotiation. It was unique in many ways.”
Brunson didn’t quite agree. “I’d say it was the same negotiation we just went through with Isaiah [Hartenstein]. Pretty similar.”
Brunson and Cuban both agreed to move on. “It’s over and done with. We’re here now, and that’s that,” Brunson concluded.
Cuban chimed in, saying, “There are no hard feelings at all. But when your dad and I see each other, it’s like we give each other the look, then smile, and move on. All’s well that ends well.”
Jalen’s father, Rick Brunson, is a former player and currently a coach on Tom Thibodeau’s staff with the Knicks.
It seems the past is now water under the bridge, and both sides have moved forward.
