The Knicks have a date circled that could say plenty about where Deuce McBride stands in their plans.
If New York does not get McBride signed to an extension by August 11, the conversation around his future is going to pick up fast. The reason is simple: the NBA has already set the 2027 trade deadline for February 11, and many veterans who sign extensions can’t be moved for six months. That means the Knicks have only until Tuesday to work out a deal that would preserve the ability to trade McBride in-season no matter what.
This is not the first time New York has dealt with that kind of timing. Mikal Bridges’ extension last summer landed just under the six-month cutoff, and while the Knicks never actually traded him, keeping that flexibility mattered as they hovered around the edges of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes. Look how far they’ve come, folks.
McBride’s situation feels different. He does not carry the same weight as Bridges on the roster, and the Knicks’ guard depth has already pushed plenty of people to wonder when, not if, the team moves on. Owner James Dolan’s refusal to enter the second apron only strengthens the idea that McBride could be heading into his final season in New York, if he even gets that far.
None of this means August 11 is an absolute cutoff. The Knicks can still extend McBride after that date and keep the door open for a trade, but the contract would have to fit some narrow rules.
It could not run longer than three additional seasons beyond 2026-27, even though McBride is currently eligible for a four-year deal. His yearly salary would also have to stay within a 5 percent increase or decrease each season.
And he cannot make more than 120 percent of the league’s average salary in the new contract.
That last piece probably won’t matter much. If McBride were to clear 120 percent of the league average in 2027-28, he’d be looking at more than $19 million. Based on this summer’s market for three-and-D guards, he is not likely to come close to that number.
The other two limits are where things could get tricky. McBride may not have enough leverage to demand more than three extra years or the maximum 8 percent annual raises, but negotiations can fall apart for plenty of reasons. If the Knicks are already approaching the talks with second-apron concerns in mind, then contract length and annual raises suddenly become very important.
There’s also a trade angle here. McBride’s value is helped right now by the fact that he’s making under $4 million, but free agency hanging over him creates uncertainty for any team considering a deal.
An extension would clear that up. As long as the money is not far above market, another team would likely prefer having him under control rather than dealing with the threat of unrestricted free agency.
So even if the Knicks let the deadline pass without a deal, that doesn’t mean they aren’t thinking about McBride in those terms. It just means they’re narrowing their own options. And unless they are fully committed to keeping him, that matters.
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