Jalen Brunson ready to help Knicks get past last season’s struggles

GREENBURGH, N.Y. — It may just be a preseason game, but for Jalen Brunson this first appearance at Madison Square Garden in a Knicks uniform might seem like the fulfillment of a childhood dream. He’ll be taking on the role he saw his father Rick in when Jalen was just a child.

But for Brunson, the time is not now for those sorts of thoughts, instead he’s focused on taking another step forward to help the Knicks shift the narrative from last season’s struggles.

“I think at some point I’ll look back on this first day of actually playing here,” Brunson said after the Knicks morning shootaround. “As of right. Now I’m just preparing myself to get ready to play. As much of a feel-good story as it is, I’m not trying to have those moments now.”

The Knicks were set to put this latest incarnation of the franchise on display against the Detroit Pistons in their preseason opener and in a coincidental bit of timing the NBA released its annual general manager survey and, not surprisingly, the Knicks were not saddled with high expectations. 

While Brunson was third among player acquisitions expected to have the greatest impact (yes, Donovan Mitchell to the Cavs was No. 1), the Knicks didn’t receive any votes among teams expected to contend for the title or most improved teams. Coming off of a 37-45 season, the expectations aren’t great.

“I don’t think we have to lower our expectations,” Brunson said. “I think it starts with us in the locker room, how do we want to take that information? For most of us, we don’t really look at it and we don’t like to think about it. Deep down we know people are doubting us. How can we prove to ourselves we’re the type of team we want to be. So I mean, it is what it is. We can’t control that. We can only control the things that we can. So it’s whatever.”

“Man, I could be playing in a small gym somewhere, anywhere, I’d still have the same mindset,” RJ Barrett said. “You always have something to prove every time you step on the floor, anytime you’re playing a game, anytime you’ve got practice. You’re always got to just prove that the work you’re putting in is working, you’re getting better. Just always having that chip on your shoulder just helps you stay motivated. So definitely always got something to prove.”

Barrett has taken these slights and clung to them — still pointing out that he was left off the All-Rookie first and second team — and he wasn’t surprised that he got no attention individually either from the GM’s.

“Besides the fans, which we do have a lot of fans, everybody else really doesn’t like us,” Barrett said. “. . . It’s weird. I’ve gotten respect, but at the same time, there’s also a lot of disrespect. But that’s fine. All the guys that they want to put in front of me or whatever, I’m in their heads, so it doesn’t really matter.”

While Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau and the players spoke of being ready to play against someone other than themselves, Brunson said that he’s already learned something about his new teammates, something that gives him hope that in the move from the Dallas Mavericks, who were Western Conference finalists, to a team without those sort of expectations.

“These guys are extremely hard workers,” Brunson said. “They work really hard. It’s a pleasure to see guys who stay after practice, get their shots up before practice, come in at night and get their shots up. Guys who are dedicated to being the best that they can be. Obviously, they are great players, they belong in the NBA. But to see how hard they work, it’s pretty special. For me, I know it prepares myself to be on the court. When game time comes I’m ready to go. It’s a pleasure to see guys that just love to put their work in.”