The Knicks' front office has done an exceptional job of building a contender while remaining under the dreaded second apron. That said, they have extensions for key rotation players coming up. The roster is going to get more expensive, and if they want to avoid the crippling penalties that come with going over the second apron, it might mean trading Mitchell Robinson, according to ESPN's cap specialist, Bobby Marks.
Aside from the smart signings that the Knicks front office has made, such as signing Guerschon Yabusele to slightly less than the midlevel exception, which gives them room to add another veteran minimum contract, they also have Jalen Brunson to thank.