The NBA has reportedly launched an investigation into the Knicks’ promotion of assistant coach Rick Brunson, by SNY’s Ian Begley. The league’s investigation has already angered members of the New York franchise.
Brunson is the daddy of Knicks All-NBA guard Jalen Brunson. The elder Brunson was just lately promoted to Tom Thibodeau’s teaching workers, a transfer that corresponded with the departure of former affiliate head coach Johnnie Bryant.
This is why the NBA “snooped,” how the Knicks responded and what it might imply for the longer term.
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Rick Brunson Investigation, Defined
The investigation hinges on an insinuation that Brunson’s promotion is an try to avoid the league’s wage cap.
Throughout the 2024 offseason, Jalen Brunson greater than $100 million left on the desk by signing a team-friendly contract extension with the Knicks. Jalen Brunson is believed to have obtained much less cash on New York’s books, however his father’s promotion serves as compensation to make up among the hole.
The phrases of Rick Brunson’s contract following his promotion are unclear. With Thibodeau would have incomes round $10 million per 12 months, Brunson’s assistant coach wage can be traditionally excessive to make up a distinction of almost $113 million.
Rick Brunson is a retired nine-year NBA veteran and spent a part of his enjoying profession with Thibodeau. His credentials additionally embrace many years of teaching expertise as an assistant in Denver, Chicago, Charlotte and Minnesota earlier than becoming a member of New York in 2022, the identical 12 months the franchise signed Jalen Brunson.
It needs to be famous that the Knicks have been docked a second-round choose after an investigation confirmed the franchise violated tampering violations to signal Jalen Brunson.
New York supplied the following assertion in response to the investigation reported by the NBA:
In response to the NBA’s rumored investigation into Rick Brunson’s promotion, Brunson took Johnnie Bryant’s place and assumed the identical wage as Bryant. It is offensive that anybody might declare that Rick does not deserve the promotion. Rick has accomplished an exquisite job and can proceed to take action. We view this as additional harassment of the Knicks resulting from our opposition to sure NBA-related points.
Earlier than the Knicks’ assembly with the Wizards on Monday, Begley offered extra context on the final sentence of the assertion. The point out of “harassment” and “opposition to sure NBA issues” refers to an ongoing feud between Knicks government chairman James Dolan and NBA commissioner Adam Silver.
Over the previous six months, Dolan has expressed his dissatisfaction with the the league’s income sharing system and a “lack of transparency” on the league’s working funds and the method of electing a boss of the Board of Governors. Dolan’s complaints wouldn’t have gone down nicely with Silver.
