The Knicks’ extension picture is getting messier by the day, and Miles McBride appears to be right in the middle of it.
According to The Athletic’s Fred Katz, McBride is “not close to receiving” an extension, even as New York heads toward a season where several important players are up for new deals. Katz noted that “Four Knicks - Karl-Anthony Towns, Miles ‘DeuIIce’ McBride, Josh Hart and Tyler Kolek - are eligible for extensions,” and added that Hart said Monday he does not expect one to get done.
For McBride, the situation is especially tricky because he’s entering the final year of the three-year, $13 million extension he signed in 2023. The Knicks would almost certainly love to keep him at that price.
That’s not the reality anymore. After averaging 12.0 points, 2.6 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.2 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game in 2025-26, he’s in line for a much bigger payday.
That’s the bind for New York. There are simply too many core pieces coming due.
Towns and Hart are extension-eligible in 2026, while Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges are in line in 2027. With owner James Dolan making it clear the Knicks won’t operate as a second apron team, even the biggest names in the room aren’t seeing much movement.
Katz also reported that Hart isn’t expecting a deal right now. Towns, meanwhile, is willing to take a pay cut to stay with the Knicks, but believes the team is asking for too much. The six-time All-Star has already said there would be “uncomfortability” if the talks spill into the season.
McBride’s case won’t carry the same weight as those stars, but it still matters. The Knicks already lost Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics in free agency in 2026, with Dolan’s second-apron stance playing a major role in that departure. Robinson had been the longest-tenured Knick at the time, spending eight seasons with the franchise.
McBride now holds that title. New York acquired his rights after the Oklahoma City Thunder took him with the No. 36 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, and he’s been with the Knicks since 2021. He has gone from barely seeing the floor as a rookie to becoming a real rotation piece, and that kind of rise tends to stick with fans.
McBride didn’t hide his disappointment when asked about his uncertain future.
“I love being in New York. Obviously, I’ve been here my whole career,” McBride said.
“I’m a little - I’m a little disappointed. Of course, you want to obviously come to the right terms, and I want to be in New York.
So yeah, it’s a little hard at times, but I’m gonna be a professional. I want to go out and do my job.
So that’s in my ability, and to help the team win for as long as I’m with the team.”
That’s the right tone from McBride, but if no extension comes together, the Knicks may have to make a decision before the trade deadline. He’s a useful defender, a dependable shooter, and he hit 41.3% from three in 2025-26. Players with that kind of profile tend to draw interest, and New York could use the kind of assets he might bring back.
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Jalen Brunsons Next Knicks Deal Could Change Everything Around Him
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Knicks Face One Clear Roster Choice As Camp Battle Looms
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There is also the matter of how much room can be created if the Knicks want to do more than one addition before camp truly settles in. Final roster decisions could end up hinging on trades and what the coaching staff values most, which leaves the next move tied as much to fit as to availability. Pacme Dadiet has reportedly been shopped in that mix, a sign the Knicks are still trying to balance present need with a little extra roster flexibility. [Read more 🡒]