Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The New York Knicks are two wins from their first title since 1973 with a roster built for deep playoff runs.
- Their current salary structure leaves them less than $7 million from luxury tax territory with key bench players set to hit free agency.
- The front office appears ready to surpass second apron limits to retain core contributors, risking long-term financial flexibility.
The New York Knicks are two wins away from snapping their long title drought and claiming their first championship since 1973. Leon Rose has done a good job assembling a roster that is capable of meeting owner James Dolan's lofty expectations, assembling an elite starting five that flows well together and supporting it with a strong bench.
While the Knicks do have their starting five under contract for the next two years, their roster is starting to get quite expensive. A quick look at their salary cap table shows that the Knicks are set to enter the offseason with only eight players under contract (the starters alongside reserves Deuce McBride, Tyler Kolek and Pacome Dadiet) yet are less than $7 million away from exceeding the first apron of the luxury tax.
That figure doesn't include a player option for Jose Alvarado that could slice about half of that first apron space away if he exercises it. The key bench pieces to watch are pending free agents Mitchell Robinson, Jordan Clarkson and Landry Shamet, who have played key roles in Mike Browns' rotation this season.
The Knicks' roster could get very expensive if they keep Robinson and Shamet
ESPN's Tim Bontemps recently reported that sources around the league expect the Knicks to be willing to into second apron territory to keep both Robinson and Shamet, giving them a good chance to run back this season's group. The Knicks' current salary cap situation means they will be going well into the second apron anyway, so it makes sense to just overpay and keep a group together that they know works.
A contract for Robinson would likely require the Knicks to give him a salary above the mid-level exception, which is the floor he could get on the open market. Both he and Shamet are expected to receive two-year offers for the Knicks, who are likely to stay above the second apron that long before a strategic duck under to reset their team-building penalties.
While Clarkson did have value and was getting minutes earlier in the postseason, he has fallen out of the rotation and won't be a priority to retain. If the Knicks are able to keep Robinson and Shamet on board, they would have their top nine players locked in for next season with the ability to supplement it with rookies, two-way candidates or veterans on the minimum who are ring chasing.
While Dolan appears willing to dive deep into the second apron for the first time, living there for more than a few years is not a sustainable strategy. The Boston Celtics provide a good example of this as they broke up a title-winning group after Jayson Tatum tore his Achilles tendon in the 2025 postseason, shipping out Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis while letting Al Horford walk to get back under the first apron.
The Knicks likely won't want to stay above the second apron for more than two years since it makes team building more complicated, especially given the need to salary match to the dollar on trades and having first round picks frozen down the road. The core the Knicks have built is good enough to bet on for the next few years, but they will have quite an expensive roster if they are able to retain both Robinson and Shamet.
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