Brunson has wrist surgery after leading Knicks to title
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Jalen Brunson underwent surgery on his left wrist Tuesday and is expected to return to basketball activities later this summer, sources told ESPN.
- Brunson played through the injury during the Knicks' championship run, averaging 32.6 points, 4.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.0 steals across five Finals games against the San Antonio Spurs — New York's first title in 53 years.
- Brunson set a team record with 45 points in the 94-90 close-out win, accounting for 48% of New York's points, including 15 in the fourth quarter alone.
- Brunson became the 13th player under the modern playoff format (since 1984) to average at least 28 points for a title winner, posting 28.4 per game during the postseason.
- Brunson scored 38 clutch points in the postseason while his Knicks teammates combined for 35.
- The Knicks finished 16-3 in the postseason — matching the 2024 Boston Celtics' .842 winning percentage for second best since the best-of-seven format began in 2003 — won 13 consecutive postseason games (second only to Golden State's 15 in a row in 2017) and outscored opponents by 283 points.
Why it matters: For the Knicks, temporarily losing Finals MVP Jalen Brunson — who signed a four-year, $104 million deal in 2022 and just delivered the franchise's first title in 53 years — creates offseason uncertainty, but the stated summer return timeline preserves the championship core heading into next season.
