DALLAS — Given that Jalen Brunson just salvaged the Mavs’ playoff hopes with a Luka-like 41 points and didn’t turn it over once in a pivotal Game 2, it’s worth remembering how little his employers thought of this year’s savior in last year’s playoffs.
Back then, they’d have rather had Boban Marjanovic on the floor.
I mean, Bobi makes me laugh, but, c’mon.
Of all the changes in the Mavs from the Donnie Nelson/Rick Carlisle ticket to Nico Harrison/Jason Kidd, only the discovery of defense ranks as game-changing as Brunson’s rise. Basically, he went from a bench barnacle in last year’s playoffs who totaled 54 points in seven games against the Clippers to Twitter fodder Monday for the likes of Patrick Mahomes and Ja Morant.
Which naturally leads us to ask just how much Brunson’s rapid ascent will cost the Mavs this summer, and can they keep him at any cost?
Better question: Did they already screw this up?
Before he went off on the Jazz, the book on Brunson was that he was a good-but-not-great point guard who could score a little but also be taken advantage of. A solid player on a roster bursting at the seams with the same. Spencer Dinwiddie, Tim Hardaway Jr., Dwight Powell, Maxi Kleber, Dorian Finney-Smith and Reggie Bullock all play vital roles. On any given night, such as Monday, when Kleber rolled for 25 points, one or more could make a difference. The problem is, with the possible exception of Dinwiddie, none is a difference-maker night after night.
Even though most of the guys in the paragraph above don’t eat a lot of cap space individually, it all adds up. Especially with Davis Bertans stealing $16 million.
Managing the cap becomes paramount in the Mavs’ eternal quest to find a star to pair with Luka Doncic. It’s one of the reasons they traded Kristaps Porzingis for Dinwiddie and Bertans. In exchange for one terrible contract, they got two unpleasant ones, though Dinwiddie has earned his money so far. But it won’t help this summer, when Mark Cuban will be, as he has put it, in “luxury tax hell.” They won’t have enough space to sign a star. They’ll do well to take care of their own, if they can.
The Mavs bet on the services of one of their own in February, giving Finney-Smith a four-year, $52 million extension. He’s the heart of the Mavs’ defense and has improved every season. And after last year’s disappointing collapse against the Clippers, he was clearly a priority over Brunson.
Then a couple of things happened: A new coaching staff tapped into the potential of pairing Brunson with Luka, and Kidd bought into the former second-round pick.
Brunson has talked repeatedly about his ongoing dialogue with Kidd and what it has meant to his development. A natural born leader and winner at every level he’s played, he improved his scoring average four points a game this season and made life easier on Luka in the process.
Yet the Mavs didn’t pull out their checkbooks for him. Rumors circulated earlier this year that Brunson wanted four years, $80 million.
As of Monday night, $80 million looks like a bargain.
Also, like ancient history.
Back in February, after the Mavs rewarded Finney-Smith, Spotrac, a website that records and analyzes contracts of players and professional sports teams, did a “deep dive” on Brunson’s deal. The site mentioned the Knicks, who had scouts at Monday’s game, and Detroit, which has considerable cap space and a vacancy next to Cade Cunningham, as potential suitors. Tuesday’s news also brought reports that the Pacers have made Brunson a priority.
Another team could sign Brunson to a four-year max deal worth $130 million if the Mavs, who hold his Bird rights, deem it too much.
“It’s likely that’s too rich for another team,” the Spotrac story concluded in February. “Again, Brunson is a really solid player, but he hasn’t shown he’s a maximum player. Nor has Brunson shown he can be the number one option on a playoff team, which a max player should be.”
Let me ask: Does 41 points qualify as max material?
No question, it’s a small sample size, but, while Luka sits, Brunson has averaged 32.5 points in two playoff games. That’s nearly twice his season average. The longer Luka’s out, the higher Brunson rises, the more interesting this gets.
Of course, there are other factors at play here besides filthy lucre. Would Brunson really give up the Mavs’ playoff potential for a rebuilding team? Would he leave teammates and a coaching staff he loves?
On the other hand, would he like the idea of running a team where he doesn’t play in a superstar’s shadow and might enjoy more nights like Monday?
Whatever happens, Brunson is surely forging his own destiny in these playoffs. Cuban, who has said the Mavs will do “whatever we have to” to keep him, will have to pay a stiff price as a result. He’d better hope it keeps going up.
