Brunson Struggles With Shooting Early in Season

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson is shooting 39.3 percent from the field after offseason wrist surgery.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Basketball

Brunson Struggles With Shooting Early in Season

Jalen Brunson is shooting 39.3 percent from the field through the start of the 2026-27 season, the worst mark of his career. The Knicks are also struggling late in the shot clock, ranking near the bottom of the NBA.

Why it matters

Brunson's slump matters for New York because the Knicks' offense depends heavily on his production. Brunson said his offseason wrist surgery disrupted his normal workouts and reduced his shot volume.

Brunson's 39.3 percent field goal mark is the worst of his career, while his shot diet, including pullups and catch-and-shoot attempts, is similar to last season. The Knicks shoot 30.4 percent with 7 to 4 seconds left on the shot clock and 26.5 percent with under four seconds left.

The players

Jalen Brunson

Jalen Brunson is the Knicks point guard whose shooting has been the focus of the team's early-season struggles.

Mike Brown

Mike Brown is the Knicks head coach, and he previously coached LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Stephen Curry.

The details

Brunson underwent surgery to repair a tendon issue in his left wrist during the offseason. Coach Mike Brown has been leading the team through the early struggles, and Brunson said after practice on November 3 that he expects his shooting to return to normal.

Offseason 2025-26: Brunson underwent wrist tendon surgery.
November 3, 2026: Brunson spoke after practice about his shooting slump.

Season Trajectory

Brunson's dip matters for the Knicks' standing this early in the season, since his 2025-26 shooting baseline is the benchmark the team expects him to return to. Compared with his prior season, the drop is concentrated in late-clock situations rather than in the kinds of shots he takes.

Fantasy managers rostering Brunson should expect lower field goal efficiency until his late-clock shooting recovers. The Knicks' offense in close games depends on whether his percentages return to last season's levels.

The takeaway

Brunson's slump shows how a single offseason procedure can ripple into shot-clock efficiency for an entire offense. Tracking late-clock percentages over the coming weeks will show whether his form is recovering.