Following an impressive run that resulted in an appearance in the Western Conference finals, the Dallas Mavericks are now shifting their focus to the NBA offseason. One of the biggest things on their to-do list involves keeping a key player in-house for the foreseeable future.
After assuming a full-time role in the starting lineup, Jalen Brunson took a big step forward for the Dallas Mavericks. In the regular season, he averaged 16.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.8 assists (all career-highs).
The 25-year-old improved even more in the postseason, where he notched 21.6 points per game while shooting close to 47% from the field.
This was a big year for Brunson, as he was getting ready to enter restricted free agency. He put the league on notice with his stellar play alongside Luka Doncic and quickly shot up the ranks of top free agents this summer.
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Mavericks Owner Ready To Break The Bank To Re-Sign Jalen Brunson
That being said, Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report recently stated that Dallas is expected to retain Brunson moving forward.
“There’s a growing sense among league personnel that Jalen Brunson will return to Dallas following the Mavericks’ sprint to the Western Conference Finals. After Dallas’ defeat to Golden State, Mavericks governor Mark Cuban reaffirmed to Marc Stein the confidence team personnel have projected in keeping Brunson.”
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Mavericks Owner Ready To Break The Bank To Re-Sign Jalen Brunson
Having proven he is the perfect backcourt partner next to Doncic, the former second-round pick might have played himself into a handsome payday. Fischer also mentioned Brunson could receive an extension similar to what the Atlanta Hawks gave John Collins.
“Dallas indeed can offer him an additional fifth year and, therefore, more money than any rival, especially New York. With Brunson’s next salary expected to exceed $20 million annually, perhaps John Collins’ recent five-year, $125 million extension in Atlanta will be a good benchmark for Brunson to remain in Dallas.”
LATEST NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Mavericks Owner Ready To Break The Bank To Re-Sign Jalen Brunson
After seeing how well the two guards complement each other, it’s safe to assume the Dallas Mavericks have found their backcourt of the future in Luka Doncic and Jalen Brunson.
