Should the Dallas Mavericks pay Jalen Brunson in free agency?

Case against the Dallas Mavericks paying Jalen Brunson in free agency

If the bidding for Brunson gets too high, the Mavs should walk away. They cannot afford to have him on a max contract because the 6’1 guard will not have any trade value.

Dallas would be locked into JB as their second star just like they were Kristaps Porzingis before trading him at the deadline. Yes, the deal worked out, but the Mavericks acquired two expensive contracts that Washington wanted to overload in the trade.

Brunson has proven on the court that he deserves to get paid. He is averaging nearly 23 points per game in the playoffs, and the 6’1 guard led the Mavericks to two wins in three games without Luka Doncic in their first-round playoff series against the Utah Jazz. JB answered the questions about his performance in the postseason, and he is always working to improve his game.

Can the Mavericks win a title with Brunson as their second scorer? They reached the Western Conference Finals this year, and they are a legitimate title threat, but Dallas will continue searching for a second-star player to pair with Luka Doncic. Re-signing JB has to be viewed through the lens of leaving room for the Mavs to acquire that piece when the player becomes available.

Dallas cannot afford to wait. Brunson is an unrestricted free agent that is free to sign with any team on July 1. The Mavericks must make a strong offer when free agency opens and try to close the deal as fast as possible if they plan on keeping the 25-year-old in Dallas.