Jalen Brunson has reportedly undergone surgery to repair a tendon issue in his left hand and wrist. The New York Knicks' All-Star guard reportedly played through the pain barrier as he helped the team secure the 2026 NBA Championship in June. Brunson's operation took place at the Hospital for Special Surgery, per The New York Post.
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Following the surgery, Brunson will now take between six and eight weeks to fully recover. Fortunately for Knicks fans, their star guard will still have plenty of time to ramp back up before we get anywhere close to preseason preparations.
Of course, Knicks head coach Mike Brown will hope that the surgery on Brunson's hand and wrist will resolve the current issue. He struggled shooting the ball during the early games of the NBA Finals. However, as the series wore on, and it became clear the Knicks had a chance to make history, Brunson found a way to take his game to another level.
Brunson joined the Knicks in 2022, following a breakout season with the Dallas Mavericks. In the four seasons that have followed, he's been named to three All-Star teams, finished in the top-10 of MVP twice, and has made three straight All-NBA second teams.
Jalen Brunson Had a Monster Season
Brunson played in 74 regular-season games for New York during its 25-26 campaign. He averaged 26 points, 6.8 assists and 3.3 rebounds per night, shooting 52.2% from two-point range and 36.9% from deep. The fact that he shot so efficiently on 19.9 attempts per night is a testament to Brunson's overall ability as a featured scorer within an offense.
Once the playoffs rolled around, Brunson took his game up a notch. He averaged 21.7 shots per night, with 15.2 of them coming from two-point range. Overall, he ended the postseason with splits of 28.4 points, 6.1 assists and 3.2 rebounds, shooting 50.9% from two-point range and 36.3% from deep. His production earned him the 2026 NBA Finals MVP award.
Brunson, like the rest of the Knicks roster, spent this past season adjusting to a new style of play. Brown joined the team last summer, replacing former head coach Tom Thibodeau. He immediately installed a "we before me" approach to the team, preaching ball-movement and off-ball player movement.
While things were a little bumpy out of the gate, Brown's system clearly worked. Of course, Brunson's managing to play through the pain barrier certainly helped.
