The New York Knicks may have just won their first NBA championship in 53 years, but difficult roster decisions could be looming as the organization prepares for the 2026 NBA Draft and free agency.
Team owner James Dolan recently indicated the Knicks are unwilling to cross the NBA’s second apron threshold, a stance that could put unrestricted free agents Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet in jeopardy of leaving the franchise this summer.
“If we could bring back the whole team, exactly as it is, why wouldn’t you? But I don’t know if we’re going to be able to,” Dolan said on WFAN’s The Carton Show.
“We’re willing to stretch, but there’s certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do. One of them is called the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron. But that’s up to Leon [Rose].”
Dolan’s comments carry significant implications because the second apron comes with some of the league’s harshest team-building restrictions. Teams above the threshold cannot aggregate salaries in trades, use the taxpayer mid-level exception, acquire players via sign-and-trade, trade cash or utilize several other roster-building mechanisms.
Among the Knicks’ free agents, Robinson appears most vulnerable.
The veteran center is expected to draw substantial interest on the open market after playing a key role during New York’s championship run. According to CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn, Robinson’s market value could begin around the projected $15.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception.
Quinn suggested that keeping Robinson while remaining below the second apron would be extremely difficult without additional cost-cutting moves.
“The immediate answer here would be that it is unlikely,” Quinn wrote regarding Robinson’s chances of returning while keeping the Knicks under the second apron.
Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet emerge as Knicks’ biggest cap casualties
While New York could create some flexibility by trading draft picks or moving younger players off its books, Quinn noted there is no guaranteed path to matching the offers Robinson may receive elsewhere.
Shamet also finds himself in a precarious position.
Although his market value is expected to be lower than Robinson’s, the veteran guard enters unrestricted free agency at a time when every dollar matters. If the Knicks prioritize maintaining financial flexibility, retaining Shamet could become increasingly difficult, especially if the front office focuses its resources on higher-priority roster spots.
Jordan Clarkson is also headed for unrestricted free agency, while Jose Alvarado holds a player option for the 2026-27 season.
Ultimately, Leon Rose and salary-cap strategist Brock Aller will attempt to navigate the restrictions while preserving a championship-caliber roster. However, Dolan’s public stance on the second apron suggests that difficult decisions may be unavoidable, with Robinson and Shamet emerging as two of the most obvious candidates to depart.
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