Browsing: Brunson

New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson left their 124-107 loss to the Orlando Magic early on Wednesday night due to an ankle injury he went down with late in the game.

Brunson was driving to the basket just inside the two-minute mark and picked up a foul, but he crashed to the court incredibly awkwardly under the rim as he did so. Brunsonâ€s right ankle rolled hard as he was trying to get around Wendell Carter Jr. in the paint, and he was in clear pain as he got up and limped his way to the free throw line.

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While Brunson remained in the game to shoot his free throws, he picked up a quick foul immediately after and then walked straight off the court to the locker room. He did not return.

Brunson finished with 31 points and six assists in the loss for the Knicks, which marked their first at home so far this season. Further specifics of Brunsonâ€s injury are not yet known.

“He turned his ankle, that’s all I know,” Knicks head coach Mike Brown said after the game.

The Magic led nearly the entire way on Wednesday night, and took a 20-point lead into the locker room at halftime. Franz Wagner led the way with 28 points and nine rebounds, and Desmond Bane added 22 points and eight assists.

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The Magic lost star Paolo Banchero early due to a groin injury, too. It’s not clear exactly what happened, but Banchero left the game midway through the second quarter and didn’t return. Magic coach Jamahl Mosley didnâ€t have an update on Bancheroâ€s condition after the game, and said only that heâ€d be evaluated again when the team gets back to Florida. The Magic will host the Brooklyn Nets next on Friday night, before flying out to Houston for a matchup with the Rockets on Sunday. Bancheroâ€s status for both of those games is unknown.

Banchero finished with four points, four rebounds and two assists in the game, which was taking place on his 23rd birthday. He played just 12 minutes.

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Karl-Anthony Towns had a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds to go with Brunson’s 31-point performance. They were the only starters to hit double figures for the Knicks. Landry Shamet added 11 points off the bench, and Josh Hart finished with 10 points.

The Knicks, who were on a five-game win streak before the loss, will host the Miami Heat next on Friday.

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Jalen Brunson dropped 31 points in the New York Knicks’ 124–107 loss to the Orlando Magic on Wednesday, as Paolo Banchero exited with an injury in the second quarter.

Brunson led the Knicks with 26 points, three rebounds and six assists, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 15 points and 12 rebounds.

Franz Wagner paced Orlando with 28 points, nine rebounds and four assists on 10-of-22 shooting. Desmond Bane added 22 points, six rebounds and eight assists, while Banchero contributed four points in 12 minutes before exiting with an injury.

With the win, the Magic improved to 6–6, earning their second straight victory after Bane’s game-winning three-pointer lifted them past the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday.

The loss disappointed fans, snapping New York’s five-game win streak, dropping the Knicks to 7–4 and ending their perfect home record.

The Magic held a commanding 20-point lead over the Knicks at halftime, paced by 17 points from Wagner, while Bane added 17 and Banchero had a quiet first half with four points. The Knicks’ Brunson entered the break with 16 points, while the rest of the starters combined for just 12.

Orlando maintained control entering the fourth quarter with a 91–73 lead and never looked back, closing out the game with a decisive double-digit win to hand the Knicks their first home loss of the season.

The Knicks will open a two-game series Friday when they host the Miami Heat, while the Magic will host the Brooklyn Nets the same night.

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The New York Knicks were on the brink of reaching the NBA Finals a year ago, but star point guard Jalen Brunson knows it won’t be easy to repeat that success this year.

On his podcast, the Roommates Show, Brunson explained why the Knicks “have a long way to go.”

“I think we have a long way to go to be back to where we want to be. And I actually like that because it’s like a new focus for us,” Brunson said (21:28 mark). “We’re not jumping back into where we were last year, it’s like a whole new journey. It’s really easy to be like, ‘Alright, let’s get back to the conference finals. That’s our goal.’ No, our goal is to get better every single day. Especially with this new regime, these new schemes, this new everything. It’s like a whole reset.”

The Knicks will enter a new era this season under head coach Mike Brown, who replaced Tom Thibodeau after his firing in June. While the coaching staff and some of the schemes have changed, the roster is mostly the same.

New York has all of its starters from a year ago and many of its role players as well. Chemistry-wise, the Knicks should be fine.

But even with an unchanged roster, there are bound to be different obstacles thrown at the Knicks throughout the year, like injuries and trades, which will give them plenty to navigate as they try to get to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999.

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Talks in August between the Knicks and Bucks about a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade never gained real traction. That shouldnâ€t be a real surprise. If the Bucks are forced to trade one of the five best players walking the face of the earth — and they would only do so if Antetokounmpo demands it — they will want back a massive haul of first-round draft picks and promising young players, two things the Knicks do not have.

One other thing that shouldnâ€t be a surprise out of those talks: Knicks point guard Jalen Brunson was “untouchable in these talks,†something Sam Amick reported at The Athletic. Not only is Brunson an All-NBA player on a favorable contract, but he is also a fan favorite and hero in New York. Trading him would anger the fan base, even if it was for Antetokounmpo.

One of the financially cleanest trade options between the Knicks and Bucks is Brunson and Josh Hart for Antetokounmpo, those salaries come within about $300,000 of each other and work under the salary cap restrictions. Itâ€s also a non-starter for both sides — the Knicks arenâ€t giving up Brunson, while the Bucks want picks and young players to jump-start a rebuild, not veterans. Any eventual Knicks offer likely involves Karl-Anthony Towns and a player such as OG Anunoby or Mikal Bridges (who canâ€t be traded until Feb. 1 and has a massive new contract kicking in).

A mid-season trade of Antetokounmpo and his $54.1 million salary — to the Knicks or any team — is highly unlikely. Things get interesting if Antetokounmpo says he does not intend to sign the four-year, $260 million extension the Bucks can offer next offseason. If that happens, there would be a massive line of teams that would want in on an Antetokounmpo deal and many of them — Houston, San Antonio, Chicago and others — have the young players and picks Milwaukee would be seeking in a deal. Likely the only way Antetokounmpo ends up in New York is if he forces his way there, telling teams he will only sign an extension with the Knicks, and if these other teams trade for him, he will be a rental. Even then, like Toronto did with Kawhi Leonard in 2018, those teams still may be willing to take the gamble.

For now, everyone wants to see how this season plays out. The Knicks rightfully see themselves as a team that can come out of the East. The Bucks want to see what Antetokounmpo and Myles Turner look like together. Houston with Kevin Durant, San Antonio with its young backcourt, and just about every other team wants to see how things look before making a massive move like trading for Antetokounmpo. Which is why itâ€s likely there is no action until next offseason.

Thatâ€s not going to stop the chatter and rumors.

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For every player a fantasy manager deems worthy of reaching for in fantasy drafts, thereâ€s another theyâ€ll actively look to avoid, especially if their average draft position (ADP) is too high.

With that in mind, Rotoworld basketball analysts Cole Huff, Noah Rubin, Raphielle Johnson and Zak Hanshew each picked two players they are fading at ADP for this season. Check it out below.

On a more positive note, you can see some of our staff favorites for 2025-26 here.

Your one-stop-shop for Rotoworldâ€s fantasy basketball draft coverage.

Cole Huffâ€s picks: G James Harden (LA Clippers) and C Ivica Zubac (LA Clippers)

This is not meant to be a knock on Harden — I trust that he will continue to lead the Clippers and could record one of his more efficient seasons shooting the basketball in quite some time, due to a presumably lighter load throughout the season. Given Kawhi Leonardâ€s good health to start the season, the additions of John Collins and Bradley Beal as potential scoring boosts to the starting lineup, and an actual reliable point guard in Chris Paul now on the roster to prevent Harden from being overworked, the scoring and overall usage should probably come down a bit for the former league MVP.

This could all change quickly if age is a factor for this veteran team and Harden is forced to shoulder the load again out of necessity. But if health is not a concern, Iâ€d expect The Beard to finish more closely to a top-10 point guard finish than a top-5.

As for Zubac, Iâ€m not as high on him this season from a fantasy standpoint; Iâ€m expecting his production to dip a bit, like Harden. He cracked 30.0 minutes per game for the first time in his career last season and set career-bests in points, rebounds, and assists per game by a comfortable margin. But context is essential — Zubac missed only two games all season and saw increased opportunities (which he took advantage of) due to the rosterâ€s clear lack of a second reliable big.

With Brook Lopez backing him up as arguably one of the best reserve centers in the NBA, and John Collins able to offer small-ball center looks, thereâ€s a good chance we see Zubac on the court less throughout the 82-game slate.

Noah Rubinâ€s picks: G Jalen Green (Phoenix Suns) and F DeMar DeRozan (Sacramento Kings)

Iâ€m happy Green is getting the opportunity to start fresh in Phoenix. I think it is the best thing for his career. However, I donâ€t know why anyone would expect a dramatic change in production in his first year away from Houston. According to NBA.com, Greenâ€s usage rate last season was 26.7, the highest mark on the Rockets. Sure, Devin Booker (28.5) and Kevin Durant (28.3) both boasted higher usage rates, and Green is set to replace Durantâ€s touches, but do we really expect Green to get the same opportunities as KD? And even if he does see a bump in usage, does that mean he will magically get more efficient or impact the game in new ways?

Iâ€m not saying Green is going to take a step back, but the idea that heâ€s worth a top-75 pick just because heâ€s in Phoenix isnâ€t something Iâ€m on board with. He certainly has a stronger case in points leagues, but Iâ€m not expecting a dramatic jump in production, and he finished 79th in Yahoo! standard scoring last season.

It might just be time for DeMar. Heâ€s been one of the more consistently available players in the league for the past decade, but his athleticism isnâ€t where it used to be. Thatâ€s entirely understandable for a 36-year-old, but it just means he isnâ€t as effective as he used to be, and heâ€s on a team with multiple ball-dominant players. One stat that showcases athleticism is rim attempts, and he only took 9.3 percent of his shots last year in the restricted area after being at 22.2 percent the year before and at least 18 percent each of the three years before that.

DeRozan is typically a player who creates most of his shots on his own. Still, he created his fewest shots per possession since 2015 and took more shots off passes from his teammates per possession than he has in any individual season for the past decade. Thatâ€s basically nerdspeak for “DeRozan is getting old.†I donâ€t see a world where heâ€s better than last season, especially with the lack of changes the Kings made, other than bringing in Dennis Schröder to take even more touches away from DeMar.

Early ADP data shows that some players are potentially being overvalued by fantasy managers.

Raphielle Johnsonâ€s picks: C Domantas Sabonis (Sacramento Kings) and F RJ Barrett (Toronto Raptors)

Average draft position analysis can be tricky this time of year, as there isnâ€t much data to rely on. However, Sabonisâ€s first-round ADP in 12-team leagues is a bit concerning. While heâ€s undoubtedly been a fantasy stud in the past, I think his value will take another hit this season. After last seasonâ€s trade deadline, Sabonis averaged 16.4 points, 13.1 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.5 three-pointers per game. While the Kings have addressed the point guard position by adding Dennis Schröder, Sabonis will still have to exist in a lineup that includes two ball-dominant perimeter players in Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan. The Kings†centerâ€s rebounding production may not suffer, but the scoring is a concern.

As for my other pick, there are also ADP concerns regarding Barrett. As of Tuesday night, he had an ADP of 82.4 in Yahoo! leagues. Barrett has never been a top-100 fantasy player in totals or per-game value, and heâ€s had just one top-150 season in his NBA career. For him to have an ADP comfortably within the top 100 at this juncture is wild. And even though Barrett looked good in Torontoâ€s preseason opener on Monday, heâ€s in a starting lineup that will include three other players who need to have the ball in their hands in Immanuel Quickley, Scottie Barnes and Brandon Ingram. Will there be enough touches available for Barrett to threaten top-100 value, much less finish within that threshold? I say no.

Zak Hanshewâ€s picks: C Alperen Åžengün (Houston Rockets) and G Jalen Brunson (New York Knicks)

Şengün finished with 19.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.8 blocks and 0.3 triples while shooting 49.6% from the floor and 69.2% from the charity stripe. Despite productive numbers as a scorer, rebounder and facilitator, the points, assists, steals and shooting percentages were all steps down from his 2023-24 numbers. With Amen Thompson expected to continue his ascension as a playmaker, Kevin Durant ready to come on board as a scorer and rebounder and guys like newcomer Clint Capela and breakout candidate Tari Eason on track to eat up minutes and usage, how can Sengun be expected to take a step forward in 2025-26?

Heâ€s Nikola Jokić and Domantas Sabonis lite, but he doesnâ€t rebound as effectively as Sabonis, score as prolifically as Jokic, and pass as well as either. Sengun is being overvalued and overdrafted, and I wonâ€t be rostering him anywhere.

Brunson enjoyed another productive season in 2024-25, finishing with averages of 26 points, 2.9 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 2.3 triples across 34.5 minutes. The superstar guard has offered elite scoring and strong playmaking in his time with the Knicks, though his big numbers have come at the cost of heavy minutes and high usage. With Tom Thibodeau out in New York and Mike Brown in, expect the Knicks to limit minutes across the board consciously.

Brunson finished 50th in per-game fantasy value a season ago, but thereâ€s no way he approaches that production level moving forward. With a new game plan and additional role players – Guerschon Yabusele, Jordan Clarkson, Landry Shamet, Malcolm Brogdon – look for Brunsonâ€s playing time and statistical output to decrease.

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  Tim BontempsSep 23, 2025, 01:25 PM ET

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  Tim Bontemps is a senior NBA writer for ESPN.com who covers the league and what’s impacting it on and off the court, including trade deadline intel, expansion and his MVP Straw Polls. You can find Tim alongside Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon on The Hoop Collective podcast.

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — Jalen Brunson admitted it was hard for him to see Tom Thibodeau, whom he’s known since childhood, depart the New York Knicks.

Brunson spoke publicly for the first time since the Knicks fired Thibodeau in June, ending his five-year coaching tenure punctuated by New York’s first appearance in the Eastern Conference finals since 2000.

“I think obviously it’s sad to see a man I’ve known for a long time part ways with this organization,” Brunson said Tuesday at the Knicks’ season-opening media day. “But he’s meant a lot to me. I’ve expressed that to him, publicly and personally. He’s meant a lot to my career up to this point.”

Brunson’s relationship with Thibodeau goes back to childhood, as his father, Rick, has both served as an assistant coach on Thibodeau’s coaching staffs with the Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves. Rick Brunson also played under Thibodeau when he was an assistant coach with both the Knicks and Houston Rockets.

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After coming to the Knicks as a free agent three years ago, Brunson has morphed into one of the league’s best players, making back-to-back All-Star and All-NBA teams while leading New York to playoff series wins in three consecutive seasons for the first time in a generation, including last year’s conference finals run.

All of that, though, wasn’t enough to save Thibodeau’s job, as he was fired shortly after the Knicks lost in six games to the Indiana Pacers on the cusp of the NBA Finals.

Brunson, 29, averaged 26.4 points per game in his three seasons under Thibodeau and was named the NBA’s Clutch Player of the Year last season. After New York’s season-ending Game 6 loss in Indiana, he was asked about Thibodeau being the right coach for the job moving forward.

“Is that a real question right now? You just asked me if I believe he’s the right guy,” Brunson said at the time. “Yes. Come on.”

Brunson, like the rest of the Knicks, is taking an optimistic stance about what working with new coach Mike Brown will be like.

Jalen Brunson averaged 26.4 points per game in his three seasons under Tom Thibodeau and was an All-Star in each of the past two seasons. AP Photo/Mary Altaffer

It also marks the second straight year that the Knicks will enter the season having made significant changes after playoff success. New York traded for Karl-Anthony Towns and Mikal Bridges last summer.

“Yeah, well, for me, it’s my job to go out there and just find a way to help this team win,” Brunson said. “There’s different people in this organization with different jobs and different things they have to do to make this team better. And that’s their point of view. For me, I have to come in and do my job to the best of my abilities.”

While he didn’t have the lifelong relationship with Thibodeau that Brunson has, Josh Hart also quickly forged a strong one with the coach during their season-and-a-half working together. Hart enjoyed the best season of his career last season under Thibodeau with the Knicks, averaging career highs in rebounds (9.6), assists (5.9) and steals (1.5).

Hart also said he would miss Thibodeau’s presence around the franchise, but that he was optimistic about the future working with Brown.

“Obviously, I love Thibs,” Hart said. “I’m always going to have love for Thibs for the things that he helped me with and putting me in a position to get paid. So I always got love for him. Hope he’s doing well right now.

“But obviously, we have Mike and we’re extremely excited about what he brings to the table offensively and defensively. Obviously, there’s going to be a little bit of a feeling-out process, but we’re excited. We’re excited for what this team has, what this team can be.”

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