BRUNSON BURNER: to NYK for 4yrs/$104M (no SnT) | NYK docked 2025 2nd for tampering

[SleepingHero]

His #1 goal (aside from getting a high paycheck) is said to be to run his own team, rather than play second fiddle to someone else. If that's the deal, playing alongside Luka would not seem to be what he wants, going forward. 

Of course, there are only so many positions like that available, and other teams in the league may or may not be willing to provide him that opportunity. In which case, he might have to "settle for" playing with a guy like Luka, after all, lol.

I think this is the main reason why MFFL's don't really care what Brunson says/wants.

How many NBA teams right now would take Brunson over their starting point guard, AND has the resources to offer him a big $ contract this summer?

Looking around, there are little to none that can satisfy both requirements. Only the Pelicans, maybe Pistons, and maybe the Knicks would take him as their starting PG right now and let him run the show. Only one of those, the Pistons, will have more 40 mil in space. Pelicans will be right around 15.5 mil. Knicks about 18.5 mil. 

Can't see those teams making Brunson their #1 priority, and even if they do the Mavs have the bird rights to match any deal. Pistons have Cade and their own lottery PG in K.Hayes that makes me dubious that they'd money whip Brunson out of Dallas. Of course if Brunson truly wants out then there's no stopping him, no matter how much $ Dallas offers. 

Which means it doesn't matter what the Mavs do. The only option is to trade him if Brunson has made it clear what his intentions are. 

Maybe we live in a world where we can turn Brunson+KP into Brandon Ingram+Valanciunas...? What a coup that would be!