Jalen Brunson was asked the easiest question in New York sports history.
Was leaving $113 million on the table worth it to win a championship?
“100 percent worth it,” Brunson said.
Jalen Brunson when asked if leaving $113M on the table was worth it to win a championship:
“100 percent worth it.”pic.twitter.com/Jz52DTn7pC
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) June 14, 2026
Of course it was. The man had just delivered the Knicks their first NBA title since 1973, won Finals MVP, and turned himself into a permanent part of New York basketball history. At that point, $113 million sounds less like lost money and more like the most expensive assist of all time.
In July 2024, Brunson signed a four-year, $156.5 million extension with the Knicks instead of waiting for a much larger deal the following year. ESPN reported at the time that the decision meant Brunson accepted $113 million less in guaranteed money than he could have been eligible for in 2025. It was a stunning move, not because Brunson was already rich, but because NBA players almost never give teams that kind of financial breathing room at the peak of their value.
That sacrifice helped the Knicks keep building around him. It gave New York more flexibility in shaping a roster that eventually became a champion, with Brunson at the center of everything. The bet was clear: take less now, chase something bigger, and trust that winning in New York would be worth more than the difference on paper.
The Knicks beat the Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 to close out the Finals, and Brunson finished the night with 45 points in the title-clinching win. He was named Finals MVP after leading New York to its first championship in 53 years.
That is why his answer hit so perfectly. There was no fake humility, no complicated financial explanation, no need to dress it up. “100 percent worth it” was the only thing he could say. Because once the banner is won, once the parade is coming, once Madison Square Garden has a new forever hero, the math changes.
Brunson did not just take a pay cut. He bought into a mission.
And now the Knicks have a championship, New York has its captain, and Brunson has the kind of legacy no contract clause can create.
