Winning a championship is difficult. It took the Knicks 53 years, but now keeping a title-winning roster together may be even harder. Just days after the New York franchise’s historic triumph, owner James Dolan has already shifted his focus from celebration. Now, it’s about sustaining the team. He acknowledged that bringing back the same roster may not be easy under the NBA’s current financial rules.

Appearing on WFAN Sports Radio, Dolan responded to the host’s question about whether the Knicks would have a similar ‘run-it-back’ approach like the Yankees. The 71-year-old made it clear that retaining the championship core would be the ideal outcome, but he also pointed out the NBA’s new CBA.

“Well, first off, most of our guys are under contract. We have a couple of guys who are not. If we could bring back the whole team, right, exactly as it is, I think, why wouldn’t you?”

However, he quickly acknowledged that the situation may not be that simple.

“But I don’t know if we’re going to be able to. Just contractually,” Dolan added. He further navigated into the NBA’s second apron restrictions, which have become a major talking point since the new CBA.

“I mean, we’re willing to stretch, right? But there are certain things in the NBA that you have to be, you know, suicidal to do, and we’re not going to do those. The one is called the second apron. You cannot go into the second apron.”

While it’s the front office and president Leon Rose who ultimately ponder the roster construction, Dolan just emphasized that his spending power has limits. 

“But that’s up to Leon, right?” he added. “I’m just telling him how big a check I can write. I’ll write as big a check as possible, but I can’t write a check that goes into the second apron.”

Dolan’s concerns extend beyond the size of the luxury-tax bill. Teams that cross the second apron face severe restrictions, with the league imposing limitations on trades, free agent signings, and even draft flexibility.

Per NBC, the second apron penalties introduced in the NBA’s 2023 CBA are as follows:

• Includes all first-apron penalties, i.e. Sign-and-trades are not permitted if the player acquired keeps the team above the apron. Cannot sign players who were waived during the regular season if their salary was above the $12.2 million mid-level exception. Salary matching in trades has to be within 110% instead of the 125% teams in good standing get.
• Cannot have access to the MLE in free agency or absorbing contracts.
• Cannot trade first-round picks from seven years out.
• Cannot use trade exceptions from previous years.
• Cannot use cash in trades.
• First-round pick moves straight to the end of the first round if the team stays in the second apron for three of five years.

These rules have prompted several franchises to reconsider building a super-team. 

The Boston Celtics’ 2032 first-round pick has been frozen, as they were above the second apron in the season after they won the NBA Championship. Had the team been above the second apron for another season, they would have gotten an automatic 30th pick in the opening round, even if they missed the 2031-32 playoffs.

It’s a battle of short-term vs. long-term, which will prove to be a challenge for the Knicks. Multiple key contributors have reached important contract decisions this offseason and could chase the bag over sustained success in New York.  

James Dolan’s concern comes as the Knicks face key offseason decisions

The Knicks spent last season hovering near the second apron. To be precise, they were just $200,000 under the limit. While that helped them keep the roster intact, it may not be the case heading into the summer.

Mitchell Robinson headlines the list of pending decisions. The eight-year Knicks veteran big man played a crucial role in the team’s championship run, providing support off the bench. With him entering free agency this summer and awaiting an extension, the team’s financial flexibility further tightens.

Robinson took an annual salary of $15 million in his previous contract. An extension would only hike the salary. And it will ultimately push the team into the second apron, which Dolan wouldn’t want. 

Apart from Robinson, the team still has a few other players knocking on the free agency door. Landry Shamet, Jordan Clarkson, and Jose Alvarado (waiting on a $4.5 million player option) are the other variables in the mix. The team has to make the tough call to filter any one of them to keep the core intact. 

At the same time, Karl-Anthony Towns remains on the max contract and is expected to sign an extension in the summer after the team failed to strike a deal this past season.

Notably, Jalen Brunson’s often-criticized 4-year $156.5 million contract continues to pay dividends, as the team has some leverage to hold on to two star players at the same time. 

Heading into the summer, it will be interesting to see if the Knicks protect their core and run it back in the following season.