Following the New York Knicks’ 2026 NBA Finals championship, owner James Dolan spoke on WFAN about the team’s future, acknowledging that retaining the same roster could be challenging under the league’s updated financial rules.
“If we could bring the whole team back exactly as it is, why wouldn’t we? But I don’t know if we’ll be able to do it,” Dolan said. “We’re willing to spend, but there’s certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do. One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron. I’ll write as big of a check as possible, but I can’t write a check that goes into the second apron”.
According to Capsheets the threshold is projected at around $222.7 million.
The Knicks’ starting five is already under contract for next season, but key rotation decisions remain unresolved. Players like Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet are set to hit free agency, and both could attract significant market interest.
Robinson is expected to receive offers in the range of $15 million per year, while Shamet is likely to command more than the veteran minimum he played on in 2025/26.
New York currently sits roughly $13 million below the second apron, but re-signing both players — along with retaining depth pieces such as Jordan Clarkson, Jeremy Sochan, Mohamed Diawara, and Ariel Hukporti — would likely push the franchise beyond that limit.
“There’s certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do. One of them is the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron. I’ll write as big of a check as possible, but I can’t write a check that goes into the second apron.”
– James Dolan on @CartonShowWFAN pic.twitter.com/KJFIccCnMf
— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) June 17, 2026
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