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Lemme explain this in more depth for the cap nerds out there:

The Knicks are locked below the second apron this season. They've aggregated salaries through trade. So obviously, no second apron issues in 2024-25.

The Knicks are at $194.4 million in salaries owed for the 2025-26 season going to nine players. The projected 10% apron rise would take the second apron figure from $188.9 million this year to $207.8 million next year. Basically, that means the Knicks would have $13.4 million to fill those last five or six spots. Entirely doable. They can duck the second apron in the 2025-26 season.

This is the important detail: once you've gone above the second apron once, you're allowed to go above it one more time in the next four seasons without penalty. If you go above a second time in that four-year period (or, more simply, three out of five years) you have a first-round pick drop to No. 30 overall. That pick is the pick seven years out from the first year you went above the second apron. What this is probably going to mean in practice is that teams are going to try to a) delay their second apron clocks as long as possible and b) go above for two years and then duck below to avoid the draft penalty.

So basically, the Knicks would avoid the second-apron in 2024-25 and 2025-26. Then they would plan for 2026-27 and 2027-28 to be their above the second apron years. Not coincidentally, the 2026-27 season is when the Bridges extension would start. For all of this to work, the Knicks needed to trade for someone who would be cheap for the next two years. Bridges obviously qualifies.

And then, after the 2027-28 season, the roster basically hits a reset period. KAT expires. Hart has a team option for 27-28, so he either expires or he would've expired a year earlier. Brunson and Anunoby have player options. So by the summer of 2028, you'll have had the team together four years. You'll likely want to get below the second apron to avoid the draft penalty. However, you'll have so many contracts expiring that you'll have flexibility to maneuver and figure out who you need to prioritize keeping. Of course, by the summer of 2028, the entire Brunson/Hart/KAT/OG/Bridges core will be in its 30's, so a bunch can change by then.

Two people to watch here outside of that five-man core are Mitchell Robinson and Deuce McBride. Mitch has two years left. If they want to trade him, I'd say it's important to trade him for someone who either a) is at a similar salary level or b) isn't a free agent until 2026 or later. The last thing you want is to trade him for a 2025 free agent who you'd then have to overpay next summer. That could force you to start your second apron clock a year early. As for McBride, he's making peanuts these next three years. In 2027 he's gonna want to get paid. Doing so obviously creates post-2028 complications because the goal will be ducking the second apron then. Without knowing what kind of player he'll be in three years, though, we can't really say what sort of contract he'd be looking at.

So that is the long version of "the Knicks are really well-positioned financially." They can keep this team together for four years. That's an eternity in the modern NBA. They've obviously spent most of their maneuverability. They're not going to have very much room to make changes to this group. But if this team is good enough, it's going to have a long runway.

The 80% salary on Dadiet helps get the Towns deal done. Just crazy foresight. And just an example of Brock's wizardry and Wes/Leon's tampering abilities form quite a tandem.

martin wrote:

Tweet was deleted or there was problem with the URL:

https://www.twitter.com/SamQuinnCBS/status/1841278534553133168

Lemme explain this in more depth for the cap nerds out there:

The Knicks are locked below the second apron this season. They've aggregated salaries through trade. So obviously, no second apron issues in 2024-25.

The Knicks are at $194.4 million in salaries owed for the 2025-26 season going to nine players. The projected 10% apron rise would take the second apron figure from $188.9 million this year to $207.8 million next year. Basically, that means the Knicks would have $13.4 million to fill those last five or six spots. Entirely doable. They can duck the second apron in the 2025-26 season.

This is the important detail: once you've gone above the second apron once, you're allowed to go above it one more time in the next four seasons without penalty. If you go above a second time in that four-year period (or, more simply, three out of five years) you have a first-round pick drop to No. 30 overall. That pick is the pick seven years out from the first year you went above the second apron. What this is probably going to mean in practice is that teams are going to try to a) delay their second apron clocks as long as possible and b) go above for two years and then duck below to avoid the draft penalty.

So basically, the Knicks would avoid the second-apron in 2024-25 and 2025-26. Then they would plan for 2026-27 and 2027-28 to be their above the second apron years. Not coincidentally, the 2026-27 season is when the Bridges extension would start. For all of this to work, the Knicks needed to trade for someone who would be cheap for the next two years. Bridges obviously qualifies.

And then, after the 2027-28 season, the roster basically hits a reset period. KAT expires. Hart has a team option for 27-28, so he either expires or he would've expired a year earlier. Brunson and Anunoby have player options. So by the summer of 2028, you'll have had the team together four years. You'll likely want to get below the second apron to avoid the draft penalty. However, you'll have so many contracts expiring that you'll have flexibility to maneuver and figure out who you need to prioritize keeping. Of course, by the summer of 2028, the entire Brunson/Hart/KAT/OG/Bridges core will be in its 30's, so a bunch can change by then.

Two people to watch here outside of that five-man core are Mitchell Robinson and Deuce McBride. Mitch has two years left. If they want to trade him, I'd say it's important to trade him for someone who either a) is at a similar salary level or b) isn't a free agent until 2026 or later. The last thing you want is to trade him for a 2025 free agent who you'd then have to overpay next summer. That could force you to start your second apron clock a year early. As for McBride, he's making peanuts these next three years. In 2027 he's gonna want to get paid. Doing so obviously creates post-2028 complications because the goal will be ducking the second apron then. Without knowing what kind of player he'll be in three years, though, we can't really say what sort of contract he'd be looking at.

So that is the long version of "the Knicks are really well-positioned financially." They can keep this team together for four years. That's an eternity in the modern NBA. They've obviously spent most of their maneuverability. They're not going to have very much room to make changes to this group. But if this team is good enough, it's going to have a long runway.

This takes you appreciation of the whole situation to a higher level. The way they are managing this, both for now and into the future, not only with huge contracts but also with fringe players and draft rights is just very impressive. We’ve come such a long way from the Scott Layden and Isiah Thomas’s years that it gives you goosebumps to realize that the Knicks are at present a top run organization.

Pretty soon, all the draft rights that we still have will make a big difference.

fishmike wrote:what this FO has done is stuff of legends. No gimmies.. nothing easy. Brunson/KAT/Mikal/OG were all high cost to acquire and complicated in some way. Yet here we are with nice pieces to spare in Josh, Mitch, Deuce and Precious.

Its money ball meets field of dreams. Just ****ing wild

They have the off court relationships working in tandem with the math and the basketball theory. It’s amazing to watch.

martin wrote:I mean, I've posted my proverbial selfie pic, you'll need to keep up. I did forget to include the glass of bourbon. Next time

martin wrote:Discuss

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