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This spot is very much up for grabs, as players like LaMelo Ball, Cade Cunningham, Trae Young and others can all make their case for a starting job.
With season résumés stacked side by side, however, Brunson has the best combination of individual and team success while posting the highest efficiency numbers for a New York Knicks team with the second-best offense in the NBA.
Brunson is averaging 26.0 points and a career-high 7.4 assists while shooting 38.9 percent from three, by far the best of the other candidates here.
A 27-16 record has the Knicks at No. 3 in the East with Brunson (along with the rest of New York’s starters) playing major roles. Brunson’s 35.2 minutes per game are coming with a lot of wear and tear, as the 28-year-old is getting to the free-throw line a career-high 7.0 times a game.