CapmathThe NBA Cap Ledger
Vol. XI · 2026-27 · Computed live
Vol. XI · 2026-27 · Computed live
New York Knicks · Salary cap report
Knicks are $5.7M over the first apron.
New York Knicks payroll for the 2026-27 season is $214.7M against a $165.0M salary cap.
Payroll, the salaries actually on the books plus dead money, is $214.7M. Counting cap holds for their own free agents, the Knicks' cap number rises to $235.7M, which is why there is no usable cap space until those holds come off the books. Renouncing every free-agent hold would open -$51.0M of room and give up Bird rights.
Run Knicks' offseason yourself→Over the first apron
What the numbers mean
Payroll$214.7M
The salaries actually committed to players right now.
Counts against the cap$235.7M
What the league counts: payroll plus free-agent hold placeholders.
Luxury tax lineOVERby $14.2M
Cross it and the team pays a penalty on every dollar over.
First apron lineOVERby $5.7M
A stricter line. Over it, the bigger roster tools freeze.
Where the Knicks land · payroll against the cap lines
Cap$165.0MTax$200.4MApron 1$209.0MApron 2$221.7M
The solid bar is real payroll. The hatched extension is a free-agent hold crossing the cap line. Renounce it and the room clears.
The books
2026-27 focused
| Player | Pos | 2026-27 | 2027-28 | 2028-29 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Signed contracts | ||||
| Karl-Anthony Towns | C | $57.1M | PO$61.0M | – |
| OG Anunoby | F | $42.5M | $45.4M | PO$48.4M |
| Jalen Brunson | G | $37.7M | $40.5M | PO$43.3M |
| Mikal Bridges | F | $33.5M | $36.2M | $38.8M |
| Josh Hart | G | $20.9M | TO$22.4M | – |
| Landry Shamet | G | $5.4M | $5.8M | $6.2M |
| Jose Alvarado | G | $4.5M | $4.8M | $5.2M |
| Miles McBride | G | $4.0M | – | – |
| Andre Drummond | C | $3.9M | – | – |
| Pacome Dadiet | F | TO$3.0M | TO$5.4M | – |
| Tyler Kolek | G | $2.3M | TO$2.5M | – |
| Signed subtotal | $214.7M | $224.0M | $141.9M | |
| Payroll | $214.7M | $224.0M | $141.9M | |
| Cap holds · placeholders, not paid | ||||
| Romeo LangfordNON-BIRD | G | $2.8M | – | – |
| Jordan ClarksonNON-BIRD | G | $2.8M | – | – |
| Mohamed DiawaraNON-BIRD | F | $2.4M | – | – |
| Jeremy SochanNON-BIRD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Trey JemisonMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Dillon JonesMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Kevin McCullar Jr.MIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Jack KayilMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| Tyler NickelMIN HOLD | F | $2.2M | – | – |
| OG AnunobyBIRD 150% | F | – | – | – |
| Miles McBrideBIRD 190% | G | – | $7.5M | – |
| Jalen BrunsonBIRD 150% | G | – | – | – |
| Josh HartBIRD 150% | G | – | – | $33.6M |
| Tyler KolekBIRD 300% | G | – | – | $7.5M |
| Karl-Anthony TownsBIRD 150% | C | – | – | $66.1M |
| Pacome DadietBIRD 300% | F | – | – | $16.1M |
| Counts against the cap | $235.7M | $234.4M | $269.8M | |
What they can add
Taxpayer MLEup to $6.1M
A smaller mid-level signing slot, the only one this high. Using it locks their spending at the second apron.
Bird rightsLets them re-sign their own free agents up to the max.
Locked outUp here they lose the bigger mid-level and the bi-annual slot, can't bring a player in by sign-and-trade, and can't take back more salary than they send out.
Trade exceptions
Trade exception · from the Dalen Terry tradeup to $0.9M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Feb 5, 2027.
Trade exception · from the Guerschon Yabusele tradeup to $0.1M
Absorbs one incoming contract up to this amount with no salary matching. Expires Feb 5, 2027.
A trade exception is a credit from an earlier trade, not money on the books, so it does not count toward the cap, tax, or apron. On file as of Aug 1, 2026; may not be complete.
Decisions ahead
Option calls before 2027-28
Karl-Anthony Towns $61.0M player option, Josh Hart $22.4M team option, Pacome Dadiet $5.4M team option, Tyler Kolek $2.5M team option.
Expiring after 2026-27
Miles McBride $4.0M, Andre Drummond $3.9M come off the books.
Front office
Run the Knicks offseason
Take these exact books into the GM Machine and re-sign, sign, waive, stretch, and draft, with every cap rule checked and explained as you go.
Draft picks through 2033
The Knicks control 4 first-round and 13 second-round picks, 1 carrying swap rights.
2026
2026 2nd (own) · No. 55
2026 2nd (via PHI) · No. 47
Philadelphia's own second reached Phoenix at pick 47, then on draft night Phoenix traded it to New York, which selected Tyler Nickel at 47.
Their own 1st, owed to LAL · No. 24
New York's own first (pick 24) traded to the Lakers on 2026 draft night; Los Angeles selected Cameron Carr.
2027
2027 2nd (via MIA)
Miami's own second sits in the OKC, HOU, IND, MIA 2027 pool: Philadelphia takes the most favorable, New Orleans the second, New York the third, San Antonio the more favorable of its own or the least of the four, and Miami the least of five. Miami does not keep it outright; Oklahoma City is only a routing conduit.
2027 2nd (own)
2027 2nd (via WAS)
WAS's own second went to New York in the same substitution package triggered by the 2026 first-round protection.
Their own 1st, owed to BKN
Unprotected first owed to Brooklyn from the June 2024 Mikal Bridges trade.
2028
2028 1st (own, swap rights attached)Stepien-locked
BKN holds unprotected swap rights from the June 2024 Mikal Bridges trade.
2028 2nd (via BOS)
Owed to New York via Phoenix, protected 31-45.
Their own 2nd, owed to DET
Unprotected second owed to Detroit from the February 2024 Bogdanovic/Burks trade.
2029
2029 2nd (via PHX)
Owed to New York, from the June 2026 four-team trade in which Phoenix moved up to pick 30 to draft Koa Peat.
2029 2nd (via SAC)
Owed to New York, acquired by Houston then flipped to the Knicks on draft night June 24 2026.
Their own 1st, owed to BKN
Unprotected first owed to Brooklyn from the June 2024 Mikal Bridges trade.
Their own 2nd, owed to DET
Detroit takes the two most favorable of the Detroit, Milwaukee, and New York 2029 seconds and Chicago the least favorable; New York's slot conveys to Detroit unless it is the least favorable of the three. From the February 2024 Bogdanovic and Burks trade and the July 2026 six-team trade.
2030
2030 1st (own)Stepien-locked
2030 2nd (via PHI)
Philadelphia's own second, owed to Dallas in the February 2025 Caleb Martin and Quentin Grimes trade then sent to New York on draft night in the June 24 2026 four-team trade.
Their own 2nd, owed to ATL
Unprotected second routed through Portland and terminal in Atlanta, from the Vit Krejci trade.
2031
Their own 1st, owed to BKN
Unprotected first owed to Brooklyn from the June 2024 Mikal Bridges trade.
Their own 2nd, owed to CHI
Unprotected second routed through Charlotte and terminal in Chicago, from the three-team Karl-Anthony Towns trade.
2032
2032 1st (own)Stepien-locked
2032 2nd (via DAL)
Dallas's own second owed to New York, unprotected, from the June 24 2026 four-team draft-night trade.
2032 2nd (own)
2033
2033 1st (own)
2033 2nd (own)
2033 2nd (via PHX)
Owed to New York, from the June 2026 four-team trade in which Phoenix moved up to pick 30 to draft Koa Peat.
Protections and swap conditions in plain English. Full story on the Knicks draft picks page.
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