Former Knicks star Carmelo Anthony got absolutely fried after an odd and misinformed knock on franchise legend and 2026 Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, for leaving money on the table to re-sign with the Knicks and finally capture the elusive ring that had evaded the franchise for 53 years.
During a recent conversation on a Wave Sports Entertainment podcast, with another celebrated player who has never won anything in Paul George, Anthony said he wouldn’t leave $113 million on the table like Brunson did with his four-year, $156.5 million extension, arguing even top stars don’t earn that off the court.
Carmelo Anthony Criticizes Jalen Brunson Leaving Money On Table To Win Championship
It was the “now it all makes sense” moment that New York Knicks fans needed to close the book on the failed Carmelo Anthony era and move on as champions free from the stench of underachieving and self-centered superstardom (as some would see it).
“I’m not doing it,” Melo said. “Listen, you can’t make $113 million off the court. People are busting their ass out there, and they’re making $113 million off the court. And I’m talking about people who’ve been off the court for years and years, who are the biggest stars out there, they not making $100 million off the court”
“That right there is different. He’s making something. He should be making something. $113 million, to make that up on the back end is crazy. I don’t know the logic and the thinking behind why he did it.”
Carmelo Anthony’s Lack Of Understanding Of Jalen Brunson Contract Sacrifice
Melo was focused on the money Brunson supposedly gave up without having any real understanding of how the numbers worked.
Reporter Stefan Bondy clarified the real short-term hit is $37 million over three years, while Knicks fans praised Brunson for prioritizing a title run and roster stability.
“Brunson didn’t give up $113 million. That number always included an extra two years that Brunson will make up on his next contract.The real number Brunson gave up is for the first three years on his current contract, and this is the number: $37 million”
Other media and fans couldn’t believe that after all of these years and the failure of never winning a ring despite being considered a Top75 all-time player that Melo is criticizing what’s important to Brunson, while failing to understand how elevated his personal legacy would be if he could have done the impossible and led the New York Knicks to an NBA championship.
“1. Brunson didn’t give up $113 million 2. How do these people not understand how much a Knicks championship is worth… how much it means to New Yorkers… living the rest of your life as a legend in NYC = Priceless. Sadly, this sums up the respective careers of Brunson and Melo,” reporter Tommy Breer said.
“Yeah Melo we know, that’s why we sucked for a decade while you got your 28 points and cashed your check,” one fan said.
“Listen man, we already know you wouldn’t have sacrificed for a championship,” another NBA fan said.
It was also pointed out that Melo could have exercised a bit of patience and less greed, and positioned himself to play in Miami with his friends LeBron and Dwyane Wade, rather than Chris Bosh getting the chance to win two rings. We all know Melo never took a dime less than the max he was entitled too.
“If anyone on earth should understand this, it’s Carmelo Anthony… if he had included an opt-out clause in his contract for 2010 (just as D Wade and Bron did), he would have joined Wade and Brown and won titles, changing his entire legacy forever,” Breer added.
“Oh we knew that already, there’s a reason he has a championship and not you.”
Fans Come At Melo For Clocking Jalen Brunson’s Pockets
Needless to say, Knicks fans and NBA fans in general weren’t feeling Melo’s math. The audacity of him to question Brunson is one thing. The fact that he so smugly sits up there, never having sacrificed a thing to win is kind of delusional. In his mind he’s as accomplished as guys who have actually closed the deal and gotten the hardware that counts. As the years go on Melo will see how failing to win a ring along with his candid podcast comments prove that he always valued money over legacy. Which actually diminishes his NBA legacy.
His Knicks era, despite the numbers, will go down as another disappointing one in franchise history. Brunson’s era will be known as the “Golden Era”, when the entire organization learned to sacrifice to bring the fans something that will make money for the brand and everyone involved three-fold.
The nerve of some people.
