Miles McBride is playing for a future that may not be with the Knicks
Knicks coach Mike Brown has spent much of the early days of training camp answering questions about how his team will address what he labeled “elephants in the room.” Miles McBride’s expiring contract is one of the biggest. The 26-year-old McBride is entering the final year of his three-year, $13 million contract and is set to become a free agent next year unless he and the Knicks agree to an extension.But there has been little movement in that regard, and his long-term Knicks future is uncertain. “Obviously I love being in New York,” McBride said after practice Wednesday.
“I’d love to continue my career here, end my career here.Best fans, I feel like we’ve done, obviously, something great this past year and the years leading up to that and I want to continue with this team.” He is one of a trio of key Knicks whose contract situations are likely to hover over the season — Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart spoke Monday about the discomfort of not yet having signed extensions themselves.
But McBride is the only one currently on an expiring deal, and the Knicks front office has a history of trading players on expiring deals rather than losing them for nothing in free agency.Mitchell Robinson this past offseason was an exception. And the Knicks have a well-documented edict from owner James Dolan to remain under the second apron.
McBride, set to earn just under $4 million this year, is one of the best values in the league.But assuming he has another productive season, he is in line for a dramatic pay raise. The Knicks have significant money invested in their starting five and will already be hard-pressed to keep that unit together, much less anyone else.
It is likely just not feasible to also give a big contract to a bench player, even if he plays a key role.Robinson was a casualty of that reality. The Knicks also have good depth at backup guard in Landry Shamet, Jose Alvarado and Jordan Clarkson.
They lack depth at center behind Towns, wit...