NEW YORK — Miles "Deuce" McBride will enter the 2026-27 season as the longest-tenured New York Knicks player following Mitchell Robinson's exit, and the reigning champions face a difficult decision on his future as he enters the final season of his three-year, $13 million contract after averaging a career-high 12.0 points while shooting 41.3% from three last season.
According to SNY's Ian Begley, the Knicks and McBride's representatives have remained in regular contact ahead of the season, but the team's financial situation could make a long-term extension difficult. "This one is tricky because Miles McBride has definitely earned a raise," Begley reported. "He's outplayed his contract (3 years, $13 million) by a significant amount." Begley added, "In a perfect world, those conversations would produce a multi-year extension for McBride."
Begley noted Knicks owner James Dolan's mandate not to exceed the NBA's $221 million second apron this season as the major roadblock. "So there isn't much financial wiggle room for a McBride extension," Begley reported. Potential extensions for Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart and eventually Jalen Brunson will inevitably increase the money committed to New York's starting lineup, and McBride looks like the one set to absorb most of the collateral damage if all parties find a way for him to stay.
Despite the constraints, neither side has given up on extending the relationship. "The longest-tenured Knick, McBride loves New York, loves his teammates; he was an integral part of this team's rise," Begley reported. The alternative, if an extension cannot be reached, is trading McBride before next year's deadline, where he would rank as one of the league's most valuable sixth-man trade chips. "We're certainly not there yet," Begley reported. "But logic tells you that's where things could be headed." For now, McBride is set to enter the season with one year left on his deal and ring night in late-October circled on the calendar.