What James Dolan’s pledge to avoid the second apron means for Knicks’ free agents
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Landry Shamet and Mitchell Robinson were key contributors to the Knicks' title, but bringing them back will require some salary-cap wizardry. Adam Hagy / NBAE via Getty Images
By James L. Edwards IIIJune 18, 2026 Updated June 19, 2026In a public spat with New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani over fan watch parties during the Knicks’ run to the NBA championship, Madison Square Garden issued a news release calling the mayor a “party pooper.”
Maybe MSG and owner James Dolan should look into the mirror.
On Wednesday, a day before the Knicks celebrated their championship success with millions of fans in the streets of Manhattan, Dolan went on WFAN radio and said this: “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.”
In theory, Dolan is somewhat right. The NBA’s second apron comes with financial penalties that make even the richest owners squeamish. However, teams capable of winning the championship, as New York did, should strongly consider it. Dolan, though, has no interest.
So what does that mean for the Knicks, free agency and next season? It likely means that the franchise will not be running it back with the same core players in pursuit of back-to-back titles.
New York has roughly $201 million on the books for next season, which includes the $192 million collective salaries of the starting lineup. Eight players have their contracts guaranteed for next season, including the club’s option to pick up 20-year-old Pacôme Dadiet. However, the $201 million doesn’t include the $4.5 million player option for Jose Alvarado. The projected second-apron threshold for next season is projected to be about $222 million.
So New York has very little wiggle room to round out the roster with proven players without shaking up its core, and that reality puts the futures of Mitchell Robinson and Landry Shamet up in the air.
Of the team that just won the title, six main-roster players will be free agents later this summer: Robinson, Shamet, Jordan Clarkson, Ariel Hukporti, Mohamed Diawara and Jeremy Sochan. I’ve got a strong belief that Diawara, a second-round pick last year who turned heads as a rookie, will be back. Everyone else is a question mark.
The biggest question marks surround Robinson and Shamet, two key contributors to New York’s title run. If Alvarado picks up his $4.5 million team option, that leaves little room for the Knicks to bring back Robinson and Shamet. My prediction is that Alvarado will help New York by declining his player option and then re-sign at a lower annual value but for more years.
Still, New York has to prepare for the possibility of losing Robinson, one of the game’s best offensive rebounders, and bring in an adequate replacement. Robinson earned about $13 million this past season.
Based on his impact as an offensive rebounder and solid defender, it’s very likely that another team would offer Robinson at least that in the open market, despite his injury history.
Shamet has played the last two seasons on a veteran-minimum contract. And after the way he shot the ball for most of the regular season and postseason, plus his positive point-of-attack defense, I think it’s safe to say that the veteran will get more than the minimum this time around — unless he loves New York enough to keep making the bare minimum.
Hypothetically, let’s say Alvarado declines his player option and re-signs with New York on a three-year, $10.5 million deal. He gets the third year for taking a $1 million pay cut next season. And then the Knicks re-sign Robinson on a two-year, $28 million deal, which could be too low (watch out for Sacramento Kings general manager Scott Perry, who drafted Robinson in New York). And then Diawara comes back on a three-year, $9 million deal. That would put the Knicks’ 2026-27 payroll at, roughly, $221.5 million, just shy of the projected second apron, with only 11 players on guaranteed deals. Something has to give.
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Now, maybe my projections are off (I’ve talked to a few NBA execs throughout the season about what a potential new deal for Robinson could look like). Robinson could return for less, but it likely won’t be that much less than $14 million per year given that I do think he’ll have a market.
New York has a first-round pick in next week’s draft that will have to be factored in as well. It wouldn’t be a surprise if New York traded one of its picks, two and/or a lower-salary player to create more financial flexibility. It could prioritize a future draft pick if Dolan is dead set on not going into the second apron at all.
Because Alvarado has some control for next season due to his player option, it’s looking like Shamet or Robinson, and possibly both, won’t be on the roster next season unless New York makes a trade involving one or two players who have a guaranteed salary for the 2026-27 season (or if Robinson and Shamet take cheap deals, but I can’t see that happening for the former, especially).
Could that mean someone like Miles McBride, who has one year left, gets moved? Even then, he is only making $3.9 million next season. All of the financial flexibility helps, though.
Maybe Dolan changes his tune regarding the second apron as free agency nears. His words were emphatic, though. If he doesn’t, Leon Rose and chief cap strategist Brock Aller have their work cut out for them this summer if the expectation is to continue fighting for multiple NBA titles.
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Badenoch blasts 'moaning' female Labour MPs over Burnham jobs 'quota'
Kemi Badenoch has told Labour women to earn a job in Andy Burnham's Cabinet instead of demanding they are handed jobs because of their gender.
The Tory leader lashed out today amid reports that female MPs are demanding the de-facto new prime minister introduce a 50:50 gender split 'quota' in his government.
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister also complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts.
But in a scathing article in the Times today Mrs Badenoch told them to 'stop moaning' and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'.
'There are many, many reasons why you shouldn't have any Milibands in the cabinet,' she said.
'But complaining that the boys haven't given them the right jobs or that the boys are taking all the jobs, just shows that Labour's women still don't get it.'
The idea of quotas was also attacked by Baroness Jacqui Smith, Labour's Skills Minister.
Asked by Times Radio if Mr Burnham should reserve jobs for women, she said: 'No, I think what Andy Burnham should be doing is building the very best team around him to change this country.'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs
Amid reports that former foreign secretary David Miliband (above, right, in 2010) is being lined up to return to the role, possibly with his brother Ed as Chancellor, one female minister complained that Burnham could not have 'more Milibands than women' in the top posts
But Mrs Badenoch told them to pipe down and get chosen on merit instead of retreating into 'more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country'
A letter written by the Women's Parliamentary Labour Party and seen by the BBC has called on Mr Burnham to ensure a 50:50 split between men and women in government jobs after he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer.
'We are asking you to demonstrate this change from day one and address the toxicity and misogyny within our own party and government,' it said.
Labour has never had a female leader, while the Conservatives have had three, and Mrs Badenoch urged the government to follow its meritocratic example.
'If you run a meritocracy, then you do not have to worry about jobs for the boys,' she wrote.
'Every woman who is a Conservative MP, every woman who has ever won the leadership, has had to fight to get where she is.
'By contrast, Labour women are demanding guarantees from Burnham. But the truth is he doesn't have to give any guarantees.
'If none of Labour's women are prepared to get their hands dirty and challenge him for the leadership, their demands are toothless.'
'In fact, it's quite revealing that the women's parliamentary Labour Party has written to Burnham asking him to commit himself to at least 50 per cent female ministers.
'This has nothing to do with meritocracy. It is yet more of the failed identity politics that is holding back our country.'
