Dallas Mavericks rumors: Mark Cuban is not letting Jalen Brunson get away

The Dallas Mavericks have won two straight games to even their Western Conference semifinal series against the Phoenix Suns at two games apiece, but they would not be here without Jalen Brunson. He led the team to two wins in the first three games of the first-round series against the Jazz as Luka Doncic recovered from a calf injury, and his scoring and playmaking have been key parts of Dallas knotting the series against the top-seeded Suns too.

Brunson is an unrestricted free agent this summer, and he is expected to command a four-year deal worth $80-plus million. The 6’1 guard’s breakout fourth season earned him a lot of money, and his new deal will push the Mavericks deep into the luxury tax.

Fans have wondered if owner Mark Cuban would be willing to spend to keep JB, but the latest rumors should ease the minds of MFFLs everywhere.

Dallas Mavericks rumors: Mark Cuban is not letting Jalen Brunson get away

The New York Post’s Marc Berman wrote about the Knicks' odds of landing Brunson in free agency this summer, and he threw cold water on the idea of the Mavericks guard ending up in New York. He reported a source that discussed it with Cuban would “be shocked” if JB did not re-sign with the Mavericks.

There have been plenty of Brunson rumors leaking out in recent weeks, and each of them has Dallas in the lead to re-sign the 25-year-old point guard. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported that Mavericks will not discuss sign-and-trades this summer, which would limit Brunson’s market as only five teams are projected to have the required cap space to give him $20-plus million per season.

The Dallas Mavericks need to keep Jalen Brunson because they will not have the cap space to sign a replacement. The 6’1 guard has become the team’s second-leading scorer and their most important player not wearing number 77. They need to lock him up long-term this summer, and rumors suggest the Mavs will do just that.