Former Dallas Mavericks GM Praises Jalen Brunson
Former Dallas Mavericks general manager and president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson recently reflected on — and praised — New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson. Here’s what Nelson, 63, said about Brunson, 29, and why.
Former Dallas Mavericks GM Praises Jalen Brunson
Donnie Nelson recently reflected on — and praised — Jalen Brunson. Nelson was mentioned in ESPN’s recent documentation of Brunson’s path to stardom. The former claimed that he was in disbelief that the latter fell to the Dallas Mavericks in the second round with the 33rd overall pick at the 2018 NBA Draft.
“All I know is he had the same things that [Tim] Hardaway and [Steve] Nash had — heart, brains and balls,” Nelson told ESPN. “Those are things that generally don’t fit into an analytics model.”
A former Mavericks assistant told ESPN that Brunson murdered people whenever they would go one-on-one before reminiscing about the great defenders of that Mavs team and adding that no one could stop him. Well, at least until he began playing with Luka Doncic. But his guts and artfulness made up for any shortcomings he had or may have had.
Donnie’s statement served as an example of a full-circle moment. His father, Don Nelson, was the primary person behind the Mavericks’ trade for the future Basketball Hall of Famer Steve Nash at the 1999 NBA Draft. Don watched Nash, now 52, and fellow future Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki enjoy tremendous success in their respective NBA careers.
Brunson was drafted in the same draft as the now-Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic. But Brunson’s situation was a bit different, as Dallas let him walk during the 2022 free agency, unlike Dallas’ midseason trade of Doncic in 2025. But, either way, the departures of him and Doncic, now 27, remain as painful reminders for Mavs fans, also known as MFFLs.
Mavericks’ Mistakes Aren’t Limited to Brunson
The Mavericks’ mistakes aren’t limited to letting Brunson walk. Former majority owner Mark Cuban has some regrets, such as letting Nash walk during the 2004 free agency. Nash’s departure from Dallas to Phoenix led to two NBA MVP awards in 2005 and 2006, respectively.
Like Nash’s then-exit, Brunson’s departure resembled a success story of a fan favorite who left amid the team’s reported lack of readiness in terms of extending him. He hasn’t won an NBA MVP award yet, but he can potentially win an NBA Finals MVP accolade.
Cuban, now 67, once swore that he’d never let another Steve Nash situation happen, but he did with Jalen Brunson. But it’s important to note that Nash was getting older and suffered multiple injuries before joining the Suns, while Jalen simply came off his rookie contract and signed with the Knicks — a team in which his father Rick Brunson serves as an assistant coach.
Mavericks’ Outlook
The Mavericks’ outlook without Jalen Brunson has been rather bleak. Without Brunson, Dallas depended on Luka Doncic as a top scorer and playmaker, while struggling to fill a backcourt void. The Doncic trade weakened the Mavs’ core. The Mavs have a solid mix of young and veteran players, but a proven, high-level guard would make all the difference.
The Mavs’ losses of Brunson and Doncic sped up a rebuild. However, it’s important to note that Brunson’s exit also cost the Mavs a potential trade asset in relation to Bird Rights, a salary cap exception in the NBA’s Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that allows an NBA team to re-sign its free agents even if it exceeds the salary cap, pending tenure requirements.
The Mavs can become contenders, but the path to contention appears to be steep. The team should focus on elite guard talent, offensive firepower and depth, and defense. In addition, Dallas must manage injuries to achieve sustained success, while developing Cooper Flagg. Flagg’s potential is promising, but a complementary ballhandler would be nice.
