The Dallas Mavericks aren't in the NBA Finals, or anywhere close for that matter, but for Mavs fans, they have to sit back and watch a familiar friend dominate in the playoffs, and it's not Luka Doncic.
The Doncic trade will always sting for Mavericks fans, but an offseason move from four years ago that feels like a gut punch is Jalen Brunson leaving Dallas for the New York Knicks. "Captain Clutch," as they call him, is playing the best ball of his career with the Knicks, and he's making Mavs fans feel like another one got away.
Doncic felt like he was ripped away. Sure, he was, and no fan will ever forget the feeling of getting cheated on the 11th hour of the weekend. But Brunson is closer than Doncic at this point to an NBA championship, and Mavs fans can only watch. The Mavs tried to gyp Brunson from his actual market value, and that was a mistake they are paying for as we speak.
Jalen Brunson leaving was a bigger mistake than the Luka Doncic trade
On the All NBA Podcast, insider Marc Stein said the Brunson camp reportedly laughed off the 4-year, $55 million extension for Brunson. Stein adds the Mavs could've made a 5-year, $175 million offer happen, but the Mavs lost Brunson that summer, and basically for nothing. Brunson could've been a valuable trade asset at some point, and now, we have to watch him in the best days of his career, dominating in the playoffs.
Brunson isn't just playing the best ball of his career, but he's established himself as a player with icewater in his veins. He won the 2024-25 Kia NBA Clutch Player of the Year award. We have to add that while it's a new award, Brunson is already on that list.
Also, the Knicks have been one of the hottest playoff teams in NBA history, winning 13 straight games, with their last loss coming in the Hawks series back in the first round. The only catch is that he's not been shooting the ball well against the San Antonio Spurs, shooting 39 percent from the field in Game 1 and 28 percent from the field in Game 2.
It's still been more than enough to get through, because of his willingness to get involved as a ball-heavy guard and draw fouls. It also helps that Karl-Anthony Towns has stepped up to the challenge against Victor Wembanyama, but Brunson has been the floor general leader, and Mavs fans badly miss that.
The Mavericks were never on this sort of run with Doncic. Of course, the depth of the team matters too, and the Knicks have a great rotation, but Brunson at the helm of this incredible playoff run says all we need to know.
Nobody could've predicted the Knicks going on this sort of run in the playoffs, but they have blown everyone away and have humiliated their opponents at times. Brunson has been one of the reasons why, and the Mavericks could've had that.
Cooper Flagg will be one of the faces of the NBA soon, but it still doesn't take away what the Mavs once had back in the day. Brunson is now in his eighth season, and he's on the verge of winning an NBA Finals.
In enough time, the Mavs essentially replaced Brunson with Kyrie Irving, but it's pretty clear who will soon be the face of DFW, and Irving's time with the Mavs is up in the air at this point.
Dallas will always give Brunson a warm welcome every time he comes back, but it's been hard to watch him thrive with another team on one of the hottest playoff teams of all-time.
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