Jalen Brunson underwent surgery on his left wrist Tuesday after playing through the injury during the team’s season-clinching title, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps.
Sources told ESPN that Brunson is expected to resume basketball activities later this summer, and the process is not expected to affect his availability for next season.
Injuries didn’t stop Brunson from pulling off one of the best playoff runs in franchise history. The left guard averaged 32.6 points, 4.6 assists, 4.2 rebounds and 2.0 steals in five NBA Finals games as New York defeated the San Antonio Spurs for their first championship in 53 years.
His best performance came in the Game Five victory, where Brunson poured in a Knicks Finals-record 45 points in a 94-90 win. He was responsible for 48 percent of New York’s total points in the contest, including 15 in the fourth quarter alone, according to ESPN.
Brunson’s impact extended beyond the playoffs. After averaging 26.0 points and 6.8 assists in the regular season, he elevated his game even more in the playoffs, posting 28.4 points per game. ESPN noted that he became only the 13th player in the modern playoff era, since 1984, to average at least 28 points on a championship-winning team.
He also succeeded in the big moments. Brunson scored 38 points last season, while the rest of the Knicks combined for 35, according to ESPN.
New York’s playoff campaign was strong from start to finish. The Knicks finished 16-3, tying the 2024 Boston Celtics for the second-best postseason winning percentage since all rounds of the playoffs switched to the best-of-seven format in 2003. Only the 2017 Golden State Warriors, who went 16-1, posted a better mark.
The Knicks also won 13 straight playoff games, nine straight on the road and outscored opponents by 283 points during their championship run.
Brunson, who signed a four-year, $104 million deal with New York through 2022, will turn 30 on Aug. 31 and is expected to fully focus on the Knicks’ long-awaited NBA title defense when he returns later this season.
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