If the New York Knicks do not sign Deuce McBride to an extension by August 11, the speculation over his future with the team will go into hyperdrive.
The NBA has confirmed that the 2027 trade deadline will be on February 11. Since many (albeit not all) veterans who sign extensions cannot be dealt for six months, this means New York has until Tuesday to reach an agreement with McBride that would allow him to be moved in-season no matter what.
This stipulation came into play with Mikal Bridges’ extension last summer. He signed a new deal just under the six-month cutoff, and while the Knicks didn’t move him (luckily!), maintaining the option helped them hover around the fringes of the Giannis Antetokounmpo trade sweepstakes. (Look how far they’ve come, folks.)
McBride’s case is different. He isn’t as important to the roster as Bridges, and New York’s guard depth already has many wondering when, not if, the team will move on from him. Owner James Dolan’s refusal to enter the second apron only adds to the likelihood that McBride is entering his final season with the Knicks, assuming he even finishes it with them.
The August 11 deadline isn’t the end-all, but…
To be sure, New York can extend McBride after August 11, and still trade him. But his deal would have to meet all of the following criteria:
- His extension could not be longer for three additional seasons on top of 2026-27. (He is currently eligible to sign a four-year deal.)
- His annual salary cannot decrease or increase by more than 5 percent each year.
- He cannot make more than 120 percent of the league’s average salary in his new deal.
The final condition won’t be an issue. Getting more than 120 percent of the league’s average salary in 2027-28 (when an extension kicks in) would pay McBride more than $19 million. If this summer’s three-and-D guard market is any indication, he won’t even get half that much.
Those other two tidbits could be tougher to work around.
Granted, McBride may not have the leverage to command more than three additional years with less than the maximum-allowed 8 percent raises. But negotiations fall apart for all sorts of reasons. And if New York is already lowballing him because of its second-apron concerns, contract length and raises will absolutely matter.
Deuce McBride could have more trade value on an extension
If nothing else, the looming deadline stands to impact McBride’s trade value. He is appealing now because he’s earning under $4 million, but his pending free agency injects a layer of uncertainty that will impact what other squads are willing to give up for him.
Signing him to an extension can stop this issue in its tracks. So long as it's not wildly above market value, interested parties will appreciate having him under organizational control without the imminent threat of unrestricted free agency.
Just because the Knicks seem likely to let August 11 come and go without a McBride extension doesn’t mean they’re not thinking in these terms. Yet, unless they’re dead set on keeping him for themselves, ignoring this deadline does winnow down the number of options at their disposal.
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