Winning the 2026 NBA Finals gave the New York Knicks the kind of payoff every front office chases. It also came with a cost. Mitchell Robinson was the player they had to let walk, with Robinson signing with the Boston Celtics in the offseason, a move that fits the reality of the NBA’s second apron rules.
That’s the tradeoff built into the system, and it’s one of the reasons the league has gone without a back-to-back champion since the 2018 NBA Finals. Jalen Brunson has been thinking about that balance, especially now that he and the Knicks have lived through it from the inside.
Brunson’s own contract played a major role in how New York was able to build its title team. He left around $100,000,000 on the table, giving the Knicks the kind of financial flexibility that helped them stay competitive under the second apron. The result was a roster with enough firepower to go all the way in 2026.
That group had plenty of help around Brunson, too. Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby were among the highest-paid pieces on the roster, and both made a major impact during the NBA Finals against the San Antonio Spurs.
Brunson addressed the second apron directly on Nightcap with Shannon Sharpe, and he didn’t pretend the issue is simple.
"I think there are pros and cons to it. Because of the second apron, we had to lose Mitch.
Obviously, I would've loved to have him back, he was a big part of what we've been able to do. Everyone prior to the second apron, prior to the previous eight teams being champions, we had too many superteams," Brunson said on Nightcap with Shannon Sharpe.
"People called it the participation trophy. What are we doing?
You guys want competition, or you guys don't want superteams, what is it? There are pros and cons to it.
For me, I just navigate the best I can, control what I can control."
The rule isn’t going anywhere for now, but it figures to remain a major issue between the NBA and the NBA Players Association. After years of the second apron being treated like a hard line, the next phase may be about how the league adjusts around it.
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Knicks Fans Just Got A Painful Reminder About The Second Apron
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For the Knicks, the issue is not abstract. Their decision to avoid crossing the second apron has already carried basketball consequences, including the loss of Mitchell Robinson, who is now on a three-year deal elsewhere. Across the league, other front offices are making similar calculations, and Oklahoma Citys recent move to get under the line only underscored how aggressively teams are treating that cap marker. The Knicks may not be alone in feeling the squeeze, but they know exactly what it costs when the bill comes due. [Read more 🡒]
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Sharps appeal is pretty clear for a team looking for low-risk size: he was the G League Defensive Player of the Year and showed flashes in limited Summer League minutes with 7.2 points, 6.8 rebounds and 2.8 blocks. New York is still sorting through its options, but the idea of using a two-way spot on a defender with that kind of length gives the front office another path if the center market keeps tightening. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Repeat Hopes Just Got More Complicated In A Familiar Place
The Hawks were already one of the more uncomfortable matchups for the Knicks after giving New York its toughest run in the 2026 playoffs before the title push finally ended their season. Now Atlanta has spent the offseason trying to make itself even harder to handle, with moves aimed at sharpening both the second unit and the defense around a group that has become a familiar problem for New York.
Aaron Wiggins was brought in earlier this month to help the bench offense, and the broader picture is clear enough for the Knicks to notice. Atlanta is trying to turn last springs playoff resistance into something sturdier for the next meeting, and the additions are designed to make that path a lot less forgiving for a team that would rather not see this opponent again in a high-stakes series. [Read more 🡒]