3 moves the Knicks must make to build around Brunson and Bridges
(3) Finalize the Mikal Bridges trade by including additional players
Let's put it as bluntly as possible. The Knicks want OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein back.
The New York Knicks are now hard capped to the $178.7 million first apron by taking back more salary than they're sending out.
— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) June 26, 2024
This will have roster-building implications.
They could still re-sign OG Anunoby and Isaiah Hartenstein, but they'll need to reduce payroll elsewhere.
While it might seem impossible that the Knicks could re-sign both players, there are a few specific ways they can accomplish this. The easiest route to accomplish this would be by including additional players in the Brooklyn trade for Mikal Bridges. This would remove the first apron hard cap that was placed on the Knicks post-trade, and allow them roughly $11 million more to re-sign their free agents.
The new CBA essentially says teams can't stack multiple minimum salaries together to trade for fewer players in any deal, so the Knicks can't simply trade multiple of their minimum-salary contracts. They need to send one minimum-salary player in addition to (1) Deuce McBride, (2) sign-and-trading Alec Burks or Precious Achiuwa to Brooklyn, or (3) sending Brooklyn one of their first-round picks (pick 24 or pick 25) this year after they sign them.
If New York can successfully pull off one of these moves, their trade return can get even richer, especially if the Knicks include their first-round picks or Deuce McBride. If they elect against moving Alec Burks or Precious Achiuwa, both players have massive cap holds New York will likely rescind.
The details of this trade for Mikal Bridges will make or break their ability to make more moves. One other move they may make is a trade revolving around Mitchell Robinson, but only if they find a way to re-sign Isaiah Hartenstein. Even then, the Knicks could hold on to Robinson as their second big man.