Jalen Brunson Reflects on His Time with the Mavericks
This week, Jalen Brunson shared his thoughts about his experiences with the Mavericks during a discussion with Sports Illustrated.
He reminisced about various moments in his career but focused on a significant picture with Luka Doncic from the 2018 draft, where both guards joined Dallas.
It’s interesting to note how former general manager Nico Harrison, who helped build a team that reached the NBA Finals in 2023-24, ultimately overlooked the promising Doncic-Brunson partnership that started to take shape in 2021-22.
Brunson, prior to the 2021-22 season, was actually poised to sign a four-year deal worth $55 million with Dallas. However, he ended up moving to the Knicks that summer on a four-year, $104 million contract.
During the interview, some comments online suggested that both Dallas and Harrison “failed them both,” which made Brunson smile.
He responded carefully, “Well, they made a decision, so let’s leave it at that. They made a decision.”
Things got tougher for the Mavericks after Harrison’s bold move to trade Doncic to the Lakers in February 2025, a decision that caught many by surprise and eventually led to Harrison’s dismissal later that same year.
Meanwhile, Brunson’s career has taken off in New York. He emerged as an All-Star and All-NBA player, leading the Knicks to their first NBA championship since 1973 last month, where he also earned the Finals MVP title.
Before exiting Dallas, Brunson and Doncic had showcased their potential as a dynamic duo, particularly during the 2022 postseason when they pushed the Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals.
Throughout the interview, Brunson refrained from openly criticizing Harrison, allowing his success to speak volumes.
The Knicks are fresh off a championship win, while the Mavericks have undergone considerable changes after losing both Brunson and Doncic through trades. Doncic, now with the Lakers, will be starting the next season alongside new teammates Walker Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Collin Sexton.
