{"id":266727,"date":"2026-06-14T20:37:08","date_gmt":"2026-06-14T20:37:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/266727\/"},"modified":"2026-06-14T20:37:08","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T20:37:08","slug":"can-knicks-run-it-back-the-roster-decisions-facing-the-nba-champs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/266727\/","title":{"rendered":"Can Knicks run it back? The roster decisions facing the NBA champs"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Knicks<\/a>\u2019 53-year championship drought is over, which means their title defense has officially begun.<\/p>\n

They enter the offseason with eight players \u2014 including all five starters \u2014 under contract for next season, and that doesn\u2019t include Jose Alvarado, who holds a $4.5 million player option.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s an enviable position for a Knicks team whose championship window remains squarely open, but that doesn\u2019t mean there won\u2019t be tough decisions this summer for president Leon Rose and his group.<\/p>\n

Should the Brooklyn-born Alvarado exercise his option \u2014 which is certainly no guarantee \u2014 the Knicks would have $205.5 million committed to nine players<\/a> for 2026-27. Add in the No. 24 pick in this month\u2019s draft, which is projected to carry a $3.4 million salary next season, and the Knicks\u2019 payroll would be $209 million.<\/p>\n

That gives them a little bit of flexibility below the restrictive second apron of the salary cap, which is projected to be $222 million next season.<\/p>\n

But not much.<\/p>\n

Operating under the expectation the Knicks would be willing to go into the second apron, here\u2019s a breakdown of what awaits the Knicks this offseason.<\/p>\n

MITCHELL ROBINSON<\/p>\n

Robinson is the Knicks\u2019 top impending free agent, as his elite abilities as an offensive rebounder and rim protector make the backup center an important part of their roster.<\/p>\n

But Robinson\u2019s value is complicated.<\/p>\n

The 7-footer\u2019s track record of ankle injuries caused the Knicks to limit Robinson\u2019s playing time. He appeared in 60 regular-season games \u2014 his most in four years \u2014 but never played on back-to-back days.<\/p>\n

And opponents targeted Robinson\u2019s shortcomings as a free-throw shooter throughout the playoffs, intentionally fouling him and forcing the Knicks to decide whether they could keep him on the floor. Robinson totaled only 13.4 minutes per game in the NBA Finals.<\/p>\n

Whether Robinson, the longest-tenured Knick, returns for a ninth season and beyond likely comes down to his value on the open market.<\/p>\n

ESPN\u2019s Bobby Marks suggested a three-year, $39 million deal<\/a>, but the center-needy Los Angeles Lakers \u2014 desperate to pair Luka Doncic with a lob threat \u2014 are among the teams that will enter free agency with cap space and could drive up the price.<\/p>\n

Third-string center Ariel Hukporti is also a free agent, but even if he re-signs, the Knicks will need to further address the position.<\/p>\n

Keep an eye on the No. 24 pick, where UConn center Tarris Reed Jr. or St. John\u2019s forward\/center Zuby Ejiofor could fit.<\/p>\n

LANDRY SHAMET<\/p>\n

Shamet\u2019s value rose with his strong performance in the playoffs, where he shot 47.5% on 3-pointers and flashed defensively as well.<\/p>\n

The Knicks hold only Shamet\u2019s Early Bird Rights<\/a>, which limits how much they can pay him \u2014 the same scenario they lost Isaiah Hartenstein under two years ago.<\/p>\n

However, Shamet\u2019s market is not expected to stretch beyond what the Knicks can offer, so if he leaves, that won\u2019t be the reason.<\/p>\n

Shamet, 29, is a favorite of head coach Mike Brown. He\u2019s played for six teams in eight NBA seasons. He\u2019s found a home with the Knicks in the last two, so a reunion makes sense for both sides \u2014 with a nice raise on the one-year, $3 million deal he played on this year.<\/p>\n

JOSE ALVARADO<\/p>\n

Alvarado, 28, could surely fetch more than $4.5 million if he tests free agency, especially after a solid Finals in which the reserve point guard\u2019s energy and ability as a second ball-handler gave the Knicks a lift.<\/p>\n

By all accounts, Alvarado loved playing for the Knicks, his favorite team as a kid. Madison Square Garden isn\u2019t too far from Queens\u2019 Christ the King, where Alvarado played high-school basketball.<\/p>\n

The workaround could be Alvarado picking up his option, then signing an extension with the Knicks, which would push the larger cap numbers into the future.<\/p>\n

But if Alvarado \u2014 who would likely find a multi-year deal worth somewhere around $10 million annually in free agency \u2014 opts out and signs elsewhere, it could lead to a larger role for 25-year-old point guard Tyler Kolek in his third season.<\/p>\n

JORDAN CLARKSON<\/p>\n

Clarkson spent this season on a one-year, $3.6 million deal, and while his playing time and role fluctuated, he proved to be a solid veteran for a championship team.<\/p>\n

But the 34-year-old guard averaged only 7.5 minutes per game in the Finals, and as he enters unrestricted free agency, he is unlikely to be a major priority for the Knicks.<\/p>\n

MILES \u201cDEUCE\u201d MCBRIDE<\/p>\n

Entering the final season of a three-year, $13 million deal, McBride represents one of the best bargains in basketball.<\/p>\n

He averaged 12.0 points per game in the regular season, then shot 37.5% on 3-pointers in the playoffs, despite having a quiet Finals.<\/p>\n

The Knicks would happily feature McBride in an important role on his ultra-reasonable $4 million contract next season.<\/p>\n

But if Shamet and Alvarado both re-sign, maybe McBride becomes more expendable, rather than the Knicks simply losing him for nothing next offseason when he\u2019s due a big pay increase.<\/p>\n

Or, if more dramatic roster reshaping takes place due to the cap, the Knicks could try to extend McBride with the idea of him being an even bigger piece of their future.<\/p>\n

KARL-ANTHONY TOWNS<\/p>\n

Towns has two years remaining on his contract, but he\u2019s eligible for an extension this summer.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s due $57 million in 2026-27, then holds a $61 million player option for 2027-28.<\/p>\n

Fresh off of a dynamic playoff run, Towns can sign a three-year extension worth up to $208 million, according to CBS Sports.<\/a> That, on top of his current deal, would bring the Knicks\u2019 total commitment to Towns to five years and $326 million.<\/p>\n

If he declines his 2027-28 option, Towns could sign a four-year, $272 million extension \u2014 bringing the total value to five years and $329 million.<\/p>\n

Both are major commitments for a player who turns 31 in November.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to say Towns, a New Jersey native and childhood Knicks fan, would try to fight for the last dollar. Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges both left money on the table when they signed extensions for the betterment of the rest of the roster.<\/p>\n

But the Towns negotiations will be something to watch this offseason, as his ability to opt out next summer would otherwise hang over the season.<\/p>\n

JOSH HART<\/p>\n

Hart, too, is extension-eligible this summer, though he has less leverage than Towns.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because the final year on Hart\u2019s contract is a team option, not a player one, meaning the do-it-all guard is under team control for the next two seasons.<\/p>\n

Hart is set to make $20.9 million next season, and then $22.4 million in 2027-28, assuming the Knicks pick up that option.<\/p>\n

He is reportedly eligible for a four-year, $131 million extension \u2014 which would be a major commitment (and probably more than it would take to reach an agreement) for a player who turns 32 next season.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Knicks\u2019 53-year championship drought is over, which means their title defense has officially begun. They enter the…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":266728,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[70981,34179,4778,1555,10663,7046,4779,103156,7939,37011,9,11,10,103155],"class_list":["post-266727","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-new-york","tag-deuce-mcbride","tag-jose-alvarado","tag-josh-hart","tag-karl-anthony-towns","tag-knicks","tag-landry-shamet","tag-miles-mcbride","tag-mitchell-robison","tag-nba-draft","tag-nba-finals","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-headlines","tag-new-york-news","tag-tarris-reed-jr"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266727","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=266727"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266727\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/266728"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=266727"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=266727"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=266727"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}