The Knicks are heading into a stretch where the numbers may matter as much as the basketball. Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns are the obvious extension headliners, but they’re not alone in line for a new deal. Tyler Kolek and Miles “Deuce" McBride are also eligible to sign extensions, and New York has until June 30 to work something out.
That clock comes with real pressure attached. According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, all four players are extension eligible, and the Knicks need to navigate those talks while keeping an eye on the second apron. Owner James Dolan has reportedly made it clear the team will not go past it, which means the front office has to thread a very tight financial needle if it wants to keep Hart and Towns in place.
“Bobby Marks says that scenarios have been presented to the Knicks where Josh Hart and KAT (both CAA) accept contracts that keep the Knicks under the second apron in 2027-28. He says KAT's comments Monday irked Dolan, which prompted today's statement," New York Post's Stefan Bondy wrote.
Those cap concerns could force New York to make a tough call elsewhere on the roster, and McBride is the name that’s coming up most often. Marc Stein of The Stein Line reports that rival teams view McBride as a likely trade candidate as the season goes on, largely because of the uncertainty around his future with the Knicks.
“One more important Knicks topic: Rival teams continue to describe McBride as a likely trade candidate as the season unfolds given the uncertainty surrounding his own Knicks future. McBride's $3.9 million salary for 2026-27, given the minimal salary that would take to match, is bound to generate interest from teams between now and the Feb. 11 trade deadline that want to acquire the 26-year-old before he hits free agency next June 30,” Stein wrote.
McBride has been with New York since the Knicks drafted him, but that kind of continuity doesn’t always protect a player when the business side starts dictating the roster. With extension decisions looming and the second apron hanging over everything, his name is one to watch.
In Other News...
Knicks Have An Early Problem Fans Already Find Frustrating
The preseason is only a tune-up, but the concerns around the Knicks are starting to look familiar already. Minnesota walked into Madison Square Garden and left with a 122-104 win, pushing New York deeper into an 0-3 start while the Timberwolves continued to look sharper in exhibition play. For a Knicks team trying to build momentum before the games count, the latest showing added another layer of unease.
What stood out most was the gap in how the two teams handled the perimeter game, with Minnesota finding a rhythm that New York could not match. The Timberwolves got strong production from Anthony Edwards, who set the tone throughout the night, and the Knicks never quite found a way to answer as the margin widened. At this point, the frustration is less about one preseason loss and more about how quickly an early-season issue can start to feel like a trend. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Preseason Loss Put Several Rotation Hopefuls Under Pressure
The Knicks third preseason game offered a familiar split screen: the main rotation pieces looked largely ready, while the fringe spots in the lineup still feel wide open. Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby again gave New York the kind of stable minutes the team wants to see in October, with both veterans setting the tone in a game that also served as a useful stress test for the rest of the roster.
For players trying to hang onto a role, the pressure is starting to sharpen. Landry Shamet and Mohamed Diawara had quieter nights, and several others either flashed a little progress or ran into the same old issue of inefficient shooting. In a preseason stretch like this, the Knicks are not just looking for talent, but for who can fit cleanly around the established core when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Banner Night Could Reignite A Debate Fans Already Feel
Opening night at Madison Square Garden will bring a familiar kind of pageantry, with the Knicks set to raise their 2025-26 NBA championship banner before facing the 76ers. It is the kind of moment the franchise has waited decades to stage, and it will give fans a first look at how the organization chooses to frame a season that ended with a title, an NBA Cup victory and an Eastern Conference championship.
What remains unsettled is how much of that success will get permanent recognition in the rafters. The team has not said whether banners for the NBA Cup or the East crown will join the championship banner, even though owner James Dolan had previously signaled the club would honor the league title rather than the in-season tournament win. So when the lights come up on Oct. 20, part of the conversation may be less about the opponent than about exactly how many new banners are on display. [Read more 🡒]