BOSTON — The Knicks’ salary-cap situation, as of today, looks immaculate.
But the big decisions and commitments are on the horizon.
Beyond the obvious OG Anunoby free agency and unpredictable trade market in the summer, the team’s two All-Stars — Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle — become eligible for extensions after this season.
For Brunson, the order of operations is pretty clear.
The Knicks should offer him the max extension and hope he signs.
Brunson — who is in the second season of a team-friendly four-year, $104 million deal — can make more money if he waits for unrestricted free agency in 2025.
According to ESPN Front Office Insider Bobby Marks, Brunson’s extension maxes out this summer at four years, $156.5 million ($39.1M average annual salary).
His 2025 free-agency max is five years, $258 million ($51.6 average salary).
That’s a big difference, but waiting for free agency is not the no-brainer decision that the numbers indicate.
By taking an extension, Brunson would be eligible for a second max extension sooner, thereby closing the gap in money over time.
There’s also security with a contract in hand, and it’s hard to imagine a better location for Brunson than New York — where he’s emerging as a marketing force (he just starred in an AT&T commercial) and plays alongside his college buddies (the Villanova crew is featured on the most recent cover of Slam Magazine).
Josh Hart and Donte DiVincenzo are both signed until 2027.
“I mean, obviously that’s a thing that you want to have, security,” said Brunson — who, even if he makes All-NBA, is not eligible for a super-max extension because he signed with the Knicks as a free agent. “But I’m just focusing on finishing the season, doing the best we can to make sure everyone’s back healthy and just doing my part. That’s at the forefront of my mind and I’ll worry about that stuff later.”
The Randle situation is more complicated.
The power forward’s extension max is more than Brunson’s at roughly four years, $190 million ($47.5M average).
His production — which includes three All-Star appearances in four years — suggests Randle’s deserving of another investment.
But the 29-year-old also just underwent shoulder surgery — his second operation in less than a year — and the Knicks have made up for his offensive production with a heavier dose of Brunson.
From the team’s perspective, extending Randle doesn’t make much sense.
Heading into Thursday’s game against the Celtics, the Knicks were 18-15 without him.
They were 5-1 in games Brunson and Anunoby played together without Randle.
Additionally, an extension for Randle would come with a six-month trade restriction if it was more than a 5 percent raise, per the collective bargaining agreement.
That might hinder any deal past next year’s trade deadline.
If Randle doesn’t get an extension and hits free agency in 2025, he’d be eligible for a five-year contract with the Knicks worth more than $300 million, according to Forbes.
To get that figure, he’d have to decline his $32.4 million player option for 2025-26.
Brunson has a player option for 2025-26 worth about $25 million.
There’s a lot for the Knicks and their top players to think about after the season.
