Should Mavericks worry about losing Jalen Brunson if Knicks start clearing cap space?

The Dallas Mavericks enter the offseason looking to improve their roster after reaching the Western Conference Finals. They traded for Christian Wood before the NBA Finals ended in a move that opened up space to add more pieces, but re-signing Jalen Brunson to a long-term deal remains atop their priority list.

JB is an unrestricted free agent after the two sides failed to reach an extension during his breakout fourth NBA season. The 25-year-old averaged over 21 points per game in the postseason and proved he can be the team’s second-leading scorer. Brunson is looking for a massive payday, and all signs point to him re-signing in Dallas.

Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported on June 21 that the Knicks are trying to create $25 million in cap space to chase Brunson. He notes the 6’1 guard is believed to be staying in Dallas, but if New York starts creating room, should the Mavericks and their fans worry?

Should Dallas Mavericks worry about losing Jalen Brunson if the Knicks start clearing cap space?

Brunson is an unrestricted free agent, so he can sign with any team that has cap space. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon reported that Dallas is not examining sign-and-trade scenarios. They want to keep JB and are willing to give him a hefty contract north of $20 million per season.

That means the Knicks' only path to acquiring Jalen Brunson is creating cap space. They would need to create about $20 million in room to sign the 6’1 guard outright with Fischer mentioning Alec Burks and Nerlens Noel as pieces that could be shipped out in trades. If the Knicks start making those moves should there be panic in Dallas?