James Dolan is still basking in the glory of his Knicks winning the 2026 NBA championship. Despite all the good feelings on the eve of the team’s victory parade in New York, the team’s 71-year-old owner is already drawing a line in the sand for next season.
On Wednesday, Dolan was a guest on WFAN’s The Carton Show, and he explained his mindset heading into next season, coming off a title. Most of the roster will return, but there are a few key free agents who will have options after helping the team win a championship. Dolan said he’d love to just bring everyone back, but there’s a line he won't cross financially.
"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."
— SNY Knicks (@sny_knicks) June 17, 2026
- James Dolan on @CartonShowWFAN pic.twitter.com/KJFIccCnMf
“There’s certain things in the NBA that you’d have to be suicidal to do, and we’re not going to do those. One of them is called the second apron. Cannot go into the second apron,“ Dolan said. “I’ll write as big of a check as possible, but I can’t write a check that goes into the second apron.“
Why the NBA’s “second apron” is so restrictive to franchises
Many NBA owners feel the same way. The second apron is a spending line above the luxury tax that imposes onerous penalties on teams that go above it. That mark will be $222 million next season. The implications cause roster inflexibility, draft pick downgrades, a ban on sign-and-trade deals and a prohibition on allocating salaries in trades. It also eliminates a team’s ability to use the mid-level exception.
The Knicks have three key unrestricted free agents this offseason, as Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet and Jordan Clarkson are out of contracts. Jose Alvarado also holds a team option for $4.5 million. Without re-signing or adding anyone, New York currently has a roster that will cost $205.5 million, which is $40 million over the salary cap ($165 million), and $3.5 million below the first apron ($209 million). They are currently $16.5 million below the second apron Dolan wants to avoid.
The Knicks also hold the 24th pick in the draft, which will cost $3.4 million next season, putting them at $209 million if they retain the selection.
Knicks’ salary cap situation entering 2026–27
As things stand now, Dolan & Co. have about $12 million to work with unless they make a major trade to dump some salary. That seems unlikely after winning a championship.
Karl-Anthony Towns ($57 million), OG Anunoby ($42.5 million), Jalen Brunson ($37.7 million) and Mikal Bridges ($33.5 million) are all locked in and highly unlikely to go anywhere. Ditto for Josh Hart ($20.9 million) who has become a heart-and-soul guy. That starting lineup will cost nearly $192 million alone during the 2026–27 campaign.
The main route available to New York would be convincing veterans chasing rings to sign on for the veteran’s minimum. That would keep costs in check.
Alvarado’s affordable $4.5 million player option feels like a no-brainer to pick up, but in a weak market for centers, Robinson is likely to find a big deal the Knicks can’t match. Shamet can likely get a solid return on free agency as well. We’ll see about Clarkson, who seemed to enjoy his time in New York after five-plus seasons with the Jazz.
In the end, Dolan could choose to bring his free agents back and blast past the second apron. He just won a championship, feelings in the city are great and the squads is balanced and solid across the board. The inflexibility imposed by the second apron hurts poorly-constructed teams far more than those that sit among the league’s best.
We’ll see what the Knicks decide to do, but it sure seems like Dolan is willing to let his free agents walk.
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