The New York Knicks’ push to retain veterans Malcolm Brogdon and Landry Shamet has put young guard Miles McBride in the spotlight, as the team grapples with its hard salary cap. McBride, entering his fifth NBA season, could be the key to clearing space for both veterans, according to multiple reports.
SNY’s Ian Begley highlighted McBride as a potential trade piece.
“A trade of either Pacome Dadiet or Miles McBride would clear enough cap space to sign both veterans,” Begley wrote. “The Knicks can also trade Tyler Kolek and have enough space under the second apron to sign both Brogdon and Shamet. I’d expect them to let things play out during camp and preseason before making a move to keep both, but if I’m betting today, I’m betting that both Brogdon and Shamet are on the regular-season roster.”
Trade Buzz
New York Post’s Stefan Bondy confirmed the buzz about McBride, though he cautioned that nothing is guaranteed.
“The buzz I’m hearing around the league is Dadiet and McBride,” Bondy said on the Knicks Fan TV show. “I’m not saying it’s going to happen. This is just buzz. The league talks. Seventy-five percent of what I hear like this never happens. But I think it’s easy to get off those [contracts].”
McBride’s situation is complicated by his upcoming contract extension after next season. With the Knicks constrained by the second apron, the team must balance paying their high-priced starting five while maintaining roster flexibility.
“They’re paying their starting five a lot of money. They’re committed to them beyond a bunch of years. McBride is going to want a lot of money, understandably. He’s been playing on a bad contract for a while. He’s at his peak value right now. You could obviously get off of him,” Bondy said.
Underpaid Knicks Contributor
Getty Miles McBride of the New York Knicks reacts to a foul call during the first quarter of the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden.
McBride, 25, was the 36th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft and is in the middle of a three-year, $13 million deal. Despite being considered underpaid, he has emerged as a productive contributor for the Knicks. Last season, he averaged a career-best 9.5 points and 2.5 assists per game while shooting 36.9% from three-point range.
However, adding Brogdon and Shamet to the Knicks’ backcourt, which already includes Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Jordan Clarkson, could squeeze McBride out of the rotation. Analysts suggest that moving McBride may be the most viable option for New York to retain both veterans.
McBride Excited for a Fresh Start
Despite the uncertainty, McBride has embraced the team’s new direction under coach Mike Brown. He praised Brown’s pace-and-space offensive philosophy, which emphasizes ball movement and creative playmaking.
“Last year, we might’ve gotten a little bit stagnant, in the last coof uple years,” McBride told the New York Post. “And I feel like what [Brown]’s been preaching is just being able to play with pace, and it’s not just the guy with the ball. He’s giving us the foundation, and we’re just going to work off of it. So I’m really excited to see all our creativity with each other that we’ve been working on these last couple of months.”
Cap Limitations Force Tough Decisions
After using the taxpayer midlevel exception to sign Guerschon Yabusele, the Knicks are hard-capped at the second apron, leaving just $3.7 million to make additional moves. That space allows for one veteran minimum signing and the rookie deal for second-round pick Mohamed Diawara, but little else.
Unless New York moves on from one of its younger players, such as McBride, the team may face a difficult choice between Brogdon, a former Sixth Man of the Year, and Shamet, who has already adapted to the Knicks’ system.
McBride’s potential trade illustrates the difficult balancing act teams face under NBA salary caps: deciding between proven veterans and emerging talent while maintaining flexibility for future seasons.
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