The New York Knicks faithful were on the wrong end of some dreadful news on Thursday after it was revealed that Julius Randle is set to undergo surgery to address his dislocated shoulder. This means that the three-time All-Star is done for the season, thereby delivering a considerable blow to New York’s postseason aspirations this term.
It’s not all bad for Knicks fans, though. To soften the blow a bit, it was also reported on Thursday that star point guard Jalen Brunson could be inclined to put pen to paper on a contract extension this summer.
New York Knicks Rumors: Jalen Brunson Could Sign New Contract in Offseason
According to Knicks insider Steve Popper of Newsday Sports, Brunson could be open to signing a new deal in the offseason:
“I’ve heard whispers that Jalen Brunson would be open to discussions to do it this summer,” Popper said.
"I've heard whispers that Jalen Brunson would be open to discussions to do [an extension] this summer" – @StevePopper
Ian, Steve, and @JCMacriNBA talk about how Julius Randle's season-ending injury will affect the Knicks on The Putback with @IanBegley: https://t.co/StRtXmwONG pic.twitter.com/jcdK6uJAqC
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) April 4, 2024
Losing Randle for the rest of the season is tough, but it would be an undeniably massive development for the organization if they were able to guarantee Brunson’s future in New York.
The All-Star guard is in contract through 2026, but he has a player option in the final year of his deal. This means that he could potentially walk away as a free agent next summer, which is obviously going to be a worst-case scenario for the Knicks.
As such, signing Brunson to a new deal would be paramount for the Knicks this offseason. It would probably be too big of a risk to let him play out the 2024-25 season with the possibility of him walking away for nothing next summer.
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