The NBA has increased its 2027-28 salary-cap projections from $174 million to $176 million. While that $2 million uptick doesn’t seem like much, this is beyond welcome news for a New York Knicks team laser-focused on avoiding the second apron without incurring too much collateral damage.
Previously, the second apron was set to clock in at $234 million. The latest forecast reported by The Athletic’s Fred Katz and John Hollinger bumps it up to $236 million.
Go ahead and laugh at the incremental nudge if you’re so inclined. But another $2 million in wiggle room is actually a big deal knowing the track record of New York’s front office.
The Knicks have made more out of smaller margins before
If you think $2 million isn’t worth more than a footnote, look back to what the Knicks did last season. They finished within $400,000 of the second apron, conducting a ton of productive business while walking a financial tightrope.
Nothing is more emblematic of the front office’s acumen than how it handled the trade deadline. The Leon Rose-led crew, which includes certified salary-cap magician Brock Aller, was around $150,000 beneath the second apron this past February. They still managed to turn Guerschon Yabusele and two second-round picks into Jose Alvarado, and a flier on Jeremy Sochan.
If that’s what they can do while within $200,000 of the second apron, just imagine what they can accomplish with another $2 million.
Another $2 million could make it easier to complete bigger moves
Before now, the 2027-28 Knicks were expected to be $7.2 million below the second apron, with a total of 10 players on the books. That number is now $9.2 million.
On its own, this $2 million increase is the equivalent of signing an undrafted rookie, and having some rainy-day cash left over. But there’s a list of other microactions the Knicks can take that lead to bigger-picture gains or talent retention.
Everyone is waiting on a Karl-Anthony Towns extension. The newest cap projection could let New York start his Year 1 salary $2 million higher while remaining neutral in its position below the second apron. And when you apply standard raises to that $2 million over the life of a four-year contract, it adds up to almost $9 million in total extra money.
Maybe the Knicks already have extension numbers mapped out for both Towns and Josh Hart, and have no plans to change them. This extra $2 million then makes it easier for them to flesh out the rest of the roster.
Depending on how much less Hart and Towns take in their new deals, that $2 million could be the difference between using or missing out on the $6.4 million mini mid-level exception. Given that Deuce McBride won’t be nearly as expensive as many think, another $2 million in runway below the second apron could be enough to retain him beyond this season.
Other potential benefits or opportunities could emerge as well. Having this reaction to $2 million might seem bizarre. But when you operate within margins as thin as the Knicks are now, every penny counts. And the NBA just gave them another 200 million of those pennies.
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