There isn’t much that people can agree on when it comes to debates within the NBA. However, one that everyone seems to be on the same page about is that the New York Knicks will have to eventually make a trade to shake up their roster.
The Knicks have done a great job of returning to prominence under head coach Tom Thibodeau, making the playoffs in two out of three seasons. In Year 4, the team is playing relatively well again, owning a record of 17-13 and sitting in seventh place in the Eastern Conference.
With an excellent core in place, New York is a prime candidate to swing a blockbuster trade. Brimming with draft capital and young players, they have the assets to build a package that can compete with any team in the NBA.
While many people believe the Knicks need a star to continue advancing, they already have one in point guard Jalen Brunson. Recently, there were some debates about why Brunson wasn’t an A1 star and New York would not be able to win championships with him as their best player.
It was a ridiculous discourse, as the goalposts continue to be moved on Brusnon and the Knicks every time they accomplish something impressive. For whatever reason, they are held to a different standard than some other players and teams around the league.
Some of those players are considered bonafide stars compared to Brunson. But, when taking a look at some of the statistics produced, Brunson is performing at a higher level. As shared by Tommy Beer on X, Brunson is playing better than some big names in the NBA this season.
Brunson has outscored All-Stars and All-NBA Team members Jayson Tatum and Damian Lillard. He has handed out more assists than All-Star De’Aaron Fox and former MVP Stephen Curry. Despite his diminutive size, Brunson has more rebounds than Devin Booker and Tyrese Haliburton.
Amid an incredible shooting season, Brunson has knocked down more 3-pointers than Donovan Mitchell and Buddy Hield. His true shooting percentage is higher than Tyrese Maxey and Jamal Murray, two highly regarded point guards.
Brunson is on pace to accomplish something that hasn’t been done by a Knicks player in over 60 years. The last New York player to average 25+ points and 5+ assists was Richie Guerin in the 1961-62 season. The last player to achieve that while making 45+ percent of their 3-point attempts was Stephen Curry during his unanimous MVP season.
He has also set an NBA record with his performance in the first 29 games of the season. No player has averaged 26+ points and made 45+ percent of their 3-pointers in that number of games in league history.
While many people don’t think Brunson is a 1A player, he is certainly performing like someone at that level. There aren’t many players having a better season than Brunson, who is looking to lead the Knicks to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons for the first time since 2011-2013.
