The New York Knicks just won a championship, but James Dolan is already putting his foot in his mouth. Dolan recently stated that he will refuse to sign a contract that puts the Knicks over the second apron. That statement should be more than enough to scare Knicks fans, and it may end up costing them Mikal Bridges.
If Dolan truly refuses to go over the second apron, then it seems inevitable that the Knicks will have to trade a big contract. And of their big contracts, Bridges seems the most expendable when you consider the prices. Jalen Brunson already took his pay cut. There’s nothing else he can do.
Now, it’s just a matter of whether or not Dolan actually meant what he said.
If James Dolan is serious about second apron, Mikal Bridges could eventually be in danger
There’s a real chance Dolan doesn’t actually mean what he said. Maybe he’s just trying to scare Adam Silver and the NBA into changing the way the CBA and aprons work, lessening some of the penalties involved.
However, if Dolan is serious, then the Knicks could be in a rough spot not too long from now. They don’t have to worry too much about next season – they can find a way to stay under the second apron – but after that, things could get dicey.
Just look at the Boston Celtics. They were way over the second apron, and their only path to getting under that mark was to trade Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis.
Now, the Knicks aren’t in the exact same spot. They are still below the apron. But if they want to maintain their core, then they will eventually be over. And that could cost them.
Of the players they are paying, they aren’t trading Brunson. Josh Hart doesn’t make insane money. Karl-Anthony Towns is too important to trade. That leaves OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges.
And based on the way the playoffs went this past year, it seems like Anunoby is just the more important player. Bridges could be a casualty of Dolan’s potential cheapness.
Again, Brunson already took his pay cut. He’s done all he can. He’s tried to help the Knicks keep everyone on board. There’s nothing more he can do to help the financial situation.
If Dolan is serious about always staying below the second apron, then there may come a point in the next few years when they have to trade Bridges.
That would certainly be a tough pill to swallow.
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