Since Leon Rose and William Wesley were tasked with leading the New York Knicks' basketball operations, the team has prioritized years of service over the team-friendliest average annual value.
They extended RJ Barrett's contract after reportedly failing to trade him to the Utah Jazz for Donovan Mitchell. They extended Julius Randle's contract after just one season as the fourth-seeded Knicks' leading star. Even if they show later on that they clearly didn't believe in a player long-term, they prefer to sign them than to lose them for nothing.
Brock Aller and his group of strategists have never had to tango with the second apron before this offseason. But recent reporting from Brian Windhorst on Get Up suggests they'd be willing to do it, if it means being able to keep Mitchell Robinson for their title defense. That would certainly match their long-standing precedent of wanting to keep talented players in the building, one way or another. And even though Robinson wasn't greatly impactful in The Finals, he's worth keeping around.
Second apron's penalties aren't actually so bad -- if you're strategic
James Dolan's comments on WFAN about the second apron being "suicide" in the current world of basketball sent an undeniably strong message. But the team's governor has proved time and time again that, so long as Rose and Wesley genuinely believe a certain decision is best, he's willing to make certain financial sacrifices.
The team extended head coach Tom Thibodeau to a massive new deal before making him their former head coach just one summer later, and giving out a similarly large deal to an entirely different coach in hopes that he would bring a different approach to the table.
The result, under Mike Brown, was an NBA Championship in his first season. Essentially anything should be seen as possible after that.
Knicks can look to recent ECF opponent for second apron inspiration
Even the Cleveland Cavaliers showed last year that teams that enter the season over the second apron can still make plenty of changes ahead of the deadline.
They started with De'Andre Hunter, Darius Garland, and Lonzo Ball on their team before winding up with Dennis Schroder, Keon Ellis, and James Harden before sacrificing second-round picks to dump Ball's contract and make everything fit.
New York would need to be extra intentional about the roster they bring into the season, understanding that their flexibility would be greatly restrained if they surpassed the salary cap's highest apron. But they wouldn't be entirely locked into that roster, or rotation. They would just have to make sure that they got under the second apron before the real penalties began to kick in.
They clearly have the kind of front office capable of thriving on their toes, and under pressure. The Knicks should enter the second apron if it means keeping Robinson around, given how irreplaceable his rim protection and overall defensive presence have proven to be.
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