This offseason, New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson was nursing a wrist injury that required surgery shortly after winning the NBA Championship in June. He hurt his wrist in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, but stuck through it all the way through the Finals. 

According to ESPN's Vince Goodwill, Jalen Brunson has recovered and should be fully healthy as the Knicks approach training camp this month. For the Knicks, this was expected, but still some of the best news they could have gotten. 

Last season, Brunson was the driving force behind New York's championship run. In the Finals, he was awarded the Finals MVP award, and he hit multiple clutch shots to help the Knicks win games late. 

In the postseason, Jalen Brunson averaged 28.4 points per game, and he led multiple Knicks comebacks. The most memorable comeback he led was in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, where the Knicks came back from down 22 points in the fourth quarter.

Entering 2026-2027, the Knicks may have a chip on their shoulder. Much of the attention has been on the Philadelphia 76ers and the rest of the Eastern Conference, as teams have decided to load up on talent to eventually dethrone New York as conference champions. 

If the Knicks want to continue their reign as the top team in the East, having a healthy Jalen Brunson will be crucial. This year's team will be essentially the same, and it's important that key players stay healthy. 

New York lost only one notable player from last season's team, and that was center Mitchell Robinson. To replace Robinson, they signed center Andre Drummond as a piece to come off the bench for them. 

This is going to be a team that will keep the same identity as last season. The Knicks like to turn defense into offense, and they play at a fast pace. All of that starts with Jalen Brunson, and keeping his supporting cast around will help him stay at the level he's at now. 

In terms of individual performance, if Jalen Brunson can continue to play the way he did in the postseason, he could contend for the league MVP award. He made plays in the playoffs that made him look like the best player on the court, and it will be important for him to continue that success the Knicks had and pick up where they left off.