New York's bill for this roster runs to $230.2 million, clear of the $200.4 million luxury-tax threshold and the $221.7 million cap wall above it. Eight of the eighteen current contracts vanish after this season, but the stars locked in beyond it leave little breathing room.
Over Every Line
New York's payroll sits at $230.2 million this season, across 18 contracts. That number clears the $200.4 million luxury-tax mark and the $221.7 million threshold above it, the hardest cap line in the sport. Every dollar spent past that line comes at a steep penalty, and New York is spending well beyond it on a roster built to repeat.
Five Big Deals
Five contracts carry the load: Towns at $57.1 million, Anunoby at $42.5 million, Brunson at $37.7 million, Bridges at $33.5 million and Hart at $20.9 million. The rest of the roster fills out on rookie-scale and minimum-level deals, from Landry Shamet's $5.4 million down to Mohamed Diawara's $2.2 million.
What Comes Off
Eight contracts expire after this season: Miles McBride, Andre Drummond, Jordan Clarkson, James Wiseman, Ochai Agbaji, John Konchar, Drew Eubanks and Bruce Brown are all off the books for 2027-28. What's left behind is the core: Towns holds a $61.0 million player option, and Anunoby, Brunson, Bridges and Hart are all still owed eight-figure salaries.
The Picks Are Spoken For
New York's first-round picks in 2027 and 2029 both belong to Brooklyn, and the 2028 first is a swap, not a clean asset. The 2029 second is a swap too, and Detroit and Atlanta hold second-rounders in 2028 and 2030. Only the 2027 second and the 2030 first stay fully in New York's own hands.
The Bottom Line
This roster just won a championship, and keeping it intact is the point. But with the payroll where it sits and the picks committed elsewhere, New York has almost nothing to trade with if camp exposes a hole. The margin for error is as thin as the bank account is large.
How far over the cap are the Knicks this season?
New York's payroll is $230.2 million, clear of the $200.4 million tax threshold and the $221.7 million cap threshold above it.
Which Knicks contracts come off the books after this season?
Eight deals expire after 2026-27: Miles McBride, Andre Drummond, Jordan Clarkson, James Wiseman, Ochai Agbaji, John Konchar, Drew Eubanks and Bruce Brown all come off New York's cap sheet for 2027-28.
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