New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson Receives Praise From Kevin Durant for Taking Huge Voluntary Pay Cut

Kevin Durant was among those in awe of the New York Knicks winning the NBA championship this past season, as the Houston Rockets forward admitted he didn’t see this coming.

During a recent episode of Boardroom Talks with Speedy Morman, Durant gave Jalen Brunson plaudits for agreeing to take a massive pay cut, saying he wouldn’t do the same as the New York Knicks guard did.

Jun 3, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) makes a jump shot over San Antonio Spurs guard Dylan Harper (2) and forward Victor Wembanyama (1) during the fourth quarter during game one of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

“I understand his thought process and why he actually executed that… For him to make that decision and come out the way it did, kudos to him. But hopefully he gets that back on the back end,” Durant said of Brunson’s sacrifice.

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“But if you sat down and thought about it and they put everything on the table, ‘This will happen in four years if you do this, this is how the team could be built, we could for sure win a chip’, it sounds good when you sell it to somebody that way. There’s always going to be a hundred that you don’t have. Even if you get it back, it’s like, well, I still could’ve had an extra hundred. Even if you give me a hundred again,” he continued.

Jun 13, 2026; San Antonio, Texas, USA; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) celebrates with his teammates after the Knicks defeat the San Antonio Spurs during game five of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

New York Knicks News: Mike Breen reveals the deciding factor behind the team’s championship run

Long-time NBA commentator Mike Breen recently broke down what ultimately made the New York Knicks champions for the first time in 53 years. While many thought that it was their offense or defense, Breen pointed out their collective experience as the main difference.

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“Their playoff…

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Publish date : 2026-08-28 12:10:00

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