Knicks Refuse Second Apron to Keep Title Roster
Owner James Dolan tells WFAN the franchise will not cross the punitive tax line to retain its 2026-27 championship core.
New York Knicks owner James Dolan told WFAN the franchise will not enter the NBA's punitive second apron to keep its newly crowned championship roster together for the 2026-27 season, choosing hard salary-cap discipline over fan expectation. The declaration comes after the Knicks ended a 53-year title drought in the 2025-26 season. The second apron locks teams out of the mid-level exception, sign-and-trade deals, and buyout market access.
