Sixth or 25th, the Knicks Still Pay Jalen Brunson Like the 44th

2026-09-28

Ever been fact-checked at your own parade? ESPN ranked Jalen Brunson the sixth-best player in the league, then ESPN's own Dean Oliver said advanced metrics put him closer to 25th, calling him elite but boosted by "recent bias" and "New York media bias."

That's a spicy take on the Finals MVP, the fourth player 6'2" or under to win it, the guy who led the New York Knicks past the Spurs and ended a 53-year drought.

So I skipped the ranking fight and opened the career file, since "recent bias" is a claim about time. Over eight rated seasons, Brunson carries a 80 career WAGE Score with a WAGE Surplus of +210. That's not a parade glow, that's a pension plan.

Here's the part that answers the metrics: last season he was paid like the 44th player in the league and produced like the 13th. Smart Money (I checked it twice, because I'm basically a spreadsheet with opinions).

Grading him off one list is like reviewing a movie off the trailer. You get the vibe and miss the whole third act.

Now Mike Brown's squad defends the title, and the salary asks one thing: keep producing well above his pay slot. Sixth or 25th, the bill still reads 44th.