It would take a shocking offer to pry Jalen Brunson away from Dallas

Tim MacMahon: I have been assured that they will not move (Jalen) Brunson before the trade deadline unless it is, and I quote, a “What the bleep are they thinking type of offer?”
Source: Spotify

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
After Jalen Brunson pivoted around two Magic defenders to hit a jumper, Luka stood up from the bench and shouted across the court:
“Good double team, Mose!” – 7:42 PM

Khobi Price @khobi_price
End of 1Q: Mavericks 34, Magic 23.
Jalen Brunson makes 3 at the buzzer to give Mavs 11-point lead.
Wendell: 7 points, 5 rebounds
Mo Bamba: 5 points, 3 rebounds
Luka: 11 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds – 7:36 PM

Callie Caplan @CallieCaplan
Jalen Brunson just went back to the locker room after a long chat on the bench with Dionne Calhoun.
He went down hard on his last offensive possession, but couldn’t quite tell what he was favoring or what was bothering him, though. – 7:23 PM

Tim MacMahon @espn_macmahon
Rick Carlisle raved about Dorian Finney-Smith and Jalen Brunson as developmental success stories that have become outstanding players. Credited former Mavs player development director Mike Procopio. @HoopConsultants – 5:51 PM

Michael Gallagher @MikeSGallagher
Best TS% on drives this season (among top 50 in drives):
Giannis- 66.4
Luka Doncic- 63.1
Jalen Brunson- 61.6
Miles Bridges- 61.5
Malcolm Brogdon- 61.4
DeMar DeRozan- 60.8
Donny Mitchell- 60.8
Zach LaVine- 60.6
Jimmy Butler- 60.3
James Harden- 60
Dame Lillard- 60
Chris Paul- 58.9 – 4:43 PM

More on this storyline

Dallas doesn’t want to trade Brunson or Finney-Smith. Yet it’s a stance that comes with risk, since both players can become unrestricted free agents this summer. The Mavericks, to this point, have nonetheless rebuffed external trade interest in the two players rival teams by far covet most.  League sources say there are no active trade discussions between the Mavericks and the New York Knicks, for example, despite the Knicks’ well-chronicled interest in luring Brunson to Gotham. I’m told that the oft-suggested notion of trading Brunson to the Knicks to reacquire the 2023 first-round pick owed to New York to complete the Kristaps Porziņģis trade is not currently under consideration in Dallas. The Mavericks regard Brunson as too vital to this season’s aspirations to trade him and retain the belief that he wants to be a Maverick long-term. -via marcstein.substack.com / January 31, 2022

The Mavs now have to ask themselves: Is this team really good enough? Brunson and Dorian Finney-Smith will be unrestricted free agents, with big raises coming. The Brunson flight risk is real, sources say. The Mavs have no cap space to replace them. -via ESPN / January 31, 2022

When asked about Jalen Brunson’s pending free agency and potential trade market, Begley stated the Knicks ‘have at least touched base’ with the Mavericks about Brunson. Begley also mentioned there’s at least one more team willing to make him an offer ‘north of $20 million’ in free agency. “Jalen Brunson, for many different reasons, has been on the Knick radar for a while now. He’s got plenty of connections to the Knicks. So I know the Knicks, at the very least, have touched based with Dallas on Brunson and I can’t tell you what it would take to pry Brunson from Dallas from a Knick perspective. I’m not sure on that. -via Sports Illustrated / January 28, 2022