Miles McBride wants to stay with the New York Knicks long-term, but the team’s stance on the salary cap is putting that future in doubt. According to the New York Daily News’ Kristian Winfield, the Knicks do not intend to cross the second apron to get a new deal done with McBride, leaving his status with the franchise unresolved.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
McBride, who won a championship with the Knicks just months ago, did not hide his frustration when addressing the situation directly.
“I’m a little disappointed,” McBride said, via Winfield. “I want to be in New York. So yeah, it’s a little hard at times. I’ve played through injury. I’ve been through a lot with this team. So you know, I’d love to get something done.”
McBride is entering the final season of his three-year, $13 million contract, which will pay him approximately $3.96 million in 2026-27. He remains extension-eligible through June 30, 2027, but the two sides have yet to reach an agreement. The Knicks and McBride’s representatives have remained in regular contact, according to SNY’s Ian Begley.
Second Apron Concerns Complicate McBride’s Future in New York
The holdup centers on New York’s finances. Owner James Dolan has said the Knicks do not intend to cross the second apron this season, creating limited financial room for a new McBride contract.
Begley explained why the situation has become difficult despite McBride’s performance.
“This one is tricky because Miles McBride has definitely earned a raise. He’s outplayed his contract (3 years, $13 million) by a significant amount.”
Begley also pointed to potential extensions for Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, and eventually Jalen Brunson as factors that could leave New York with limited room for another long-term deal.
The Knicks did not reach an extension with McBride before August 11, a soft deadline for maintaining trade flexibility. Certain extensions signed after that date would make him ineligible to be traded for six months, potentially taking him past the February 11, 2027, trade deadline.
He can still sign an extension, however, and a deal structured within the relevant limits would not necessarily prevent a trade.
McBride has been with the Knicks since New York selected him 36th overall in the 2021 NBA Draft, making him the longest-tenured player on the roster. Last season, he averaged 12.0 points, 2.6 assists, and 2.4 rebounds while shooting 41.3% from the three-point range in 41 regular-season games.
His 2025-26 campaign was also interrupted by a sports hernia that required surgery in February. McBride missed more than two months before returning late in the regular season, adding context to his comment about playing through injury.
The Knicks still have several financial decisions to navigate around their championship roster. Towns and Hart could be part of the next round of extensions, while Brunson’s future contract also has to be considered as New York looks further ahead.
At the same time, the longer-term cap picture could give the Knicks more flexibility. Current projections show the second-apron threshold rising in future seasons, meaning the organization’s financial room could change as it moves beyond the 2026-27 season. That leaves multiple possible paths for McBride rather than making a trade or departure inevitable.
For McBride, the preference is clear. He wants to remain in New York, but the organization’s approach to the second apron has made the extension difficult to resolve.
The guard has also indicated that he will continue handling the situation professionally while the negotiations remain unsettled. For now, McBride is entering the final season of his current contract with his future still open, whether the eventual outcome is an extension, a trade, or free agency next summer.
For a Knicks team coming off its first championship in 53 years, McBride’s situation is another example of the financial decisions that come with trying to keep a title-winning roster together.