Charles Barkley’s $100 million message on ‘greatest free agent signing in NBA history’ Jalen Brunson

Jun 14, 2026 - 06:30

Before Jalen Brunson was an NBA Champion, an NBA Finals MVP, or even the captain of the best team in the NBA right now, he was a free agent looking for his long-term home after beginning his career as a second-round pick by the Dallas Mavericks.

Despite interest from multiple teams, Brunson chose the Knicks and did so at a discount in the hopes of building a winner around him with the additional financial capital.

Fast forward to the second Saturday in June, and that decision unquestionably paid off, to the point where Charles Barkley happily declared him the best free agent signing in NBA history after Game 5.

“I want to give him some credit,” Barkley declared. “I want to give, you know, obviously what you said about Brunson, I said, it’s the greatest free agent signing in NBA history, but also he took so much criticism for guys when he took a hundred million dollars less so they could go out and get other players. He deserved like, hey, listen, a hundred million dollars is a lot of money, but he wanted them to go out and get him some help, and they went on and got him some help, and they are the World Champs.”

Initially agreeing to a four-year, $104 million contract with the Knicks, Brunson isn’t even on a max deal right now, having agreed to a four-year, $156.5 million extension one year before he was eligible for a deal in the five-year, $269 million range. If the Knicks are able to build a dynasty, it will be because Brunson valued winning over monetary compensation, which is just part of why he’s such an easy player to root for.