With the Knicks championship celebration in the rearview, the team enters the 2026 offseason with lots of work to do.
Mainly, they need to figure out their free agency plan ahead of the NBA's negotiating window that opens on June 30 at 6:00 p.m. (teams can officially sign players on July 6 at 12:01 p.m.). Many of the role players on New York's 2025-26 title team will become free agents, including center Mitchell Robinson, and it will be a challenge for them to bring everyone back, as much as they'd like to.
SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley added some insight into their anticipated spending on Tuesday's episode of The Putback, saying the team is operating as if they'll be under the second apron (a cap that penalizes teams that overspend) for the 2026-27 season. That aligns with owner James Dolan's comments on WFAN on June 17, where he made it clear New York "cannot go into the second apron" next season.
"The Knicks are operating, planning right now as if they're going to stay below that second apron number in team salary. And that has a lot of implications," Begley said.
"It's going to be really tough to bring Mitchell Robinson back, assuming he gets strong offers on the open market, which he will. I think he'd have to take a pay cut here to come back to New York. It's a lot of pieces moving around here for the Knicks and the front office."
Begley added that "the team is going to look drastically different" if they don't go into the second apron. To avoid crossing the salary line, they would be able to offer one veteran like Landry Shamet or Robinson about $5-6 million per season, but that would likely be it.
In addition to Robinson and Shamet, Jordan Clarkson, Jeremy Sochan, Ariel Hukporti (restricted), Kevin McCullar Jr. (restricted) and Trey Jemison (restricted) are free agents. Bench favorite Jose Alvarado has a player option, while Miles McBride is eligible for an extension. Begley also reported Monday that New York and Mohamed Diawara are expected to agree to a multiyear deal to bring him back.
"The Knicks are operating, planning as if they're going to stay below the second apron...
— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) June 23, 2026
It's going to be really tough to bring Mitchell Robinson back, assuming he gets strong offers on the open market - which he will.
I think he'd have to take a pay cut to come back to New… pic.twitter.com/S4rJUfzjBr
The Knicks are operating at the moment as if they will NOT go into the second apron, @IanBegley says
— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) June 23, 2026
Ian provides more details on The Putback with @IanBegleypic.twitter.com/wuHD3RqNYM
