Mitchell Robinson sits at the center of a looming Knicks decision that could reshape how New York builds for the near-term and beyond. Extension chatter suggests Robinson stays in New York, but any new deal would push the team toward the second apron, complicating their ability to add upper-scale talent. The Knicks own a core group under 30—six players—under contract through 2026-27, a signal they’re betting on continuity. Health history aside, Robinson is a premier defensive presence and elite on-ball rebounder, but extension terms matter for fantasy—salary masks usage and rotation shifts. The team’s plan hinges on how they navigate two crucial roster-spots under a tight ceiling: rookie-minimum bets for Diarra or Naji and a veteran-minimum that could change the bench dynamic. If they extend Robinson, the club could become a second-apron squad for a couple of years, unless an exit plan materializes around a championship window. The broader league context shows Boston, Milwaukee, and Phoenix already probing their own exits from the second apron, a dynamic that could influence Knicks ownership and front-office decisions in the months ahead.

On the cap side, New York sits roughly 3.7 million under the second apron, leaving two spots—one likely for a rookie-minimum player and another for a veteran minimum. Kevin McCullar Jr. isn’t eligible for the rookie-minimum pathway, given his service history, so the Knicks would likely explore a true minimum or two-way options. The conversation also touches on rookies Diarra and Naji as true rookie-minimum possibilities, plus Landry Shamet as a veteran-minimum target to stabilize the second unit if Robinson is extended. The underlying theme: every move is a tether to a larger title-contending arc, with fans watching how the second apron reshapes risk and reward for fantasy rosters.