Knicks Get Head Start With Free Agent Negotiations

The New York Knicks and the rest of the NBA can begin negotiating with their in-house free agents today thanks to a new rule that the league has set.

"This is a new rule this year: As soon as the Finals is over, teams can negotiate with their own free agents. So if the [NBA] Finals ends tonight, we will start seeing contracts I believe as early as tomorrow," ESPN insider Brian Windhorst said on "UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio."

This means that the Knicks can begin discussions with Isaiah Hartenstein, Alec Burks, Shake Milton, OG Anunoby (player), Jericho Sims (team), DaQuan Jeffries (team), Precious Achiuwa (restricted), Charlie Brown Jr. (restricted), Jacob Toppin (restricted) and Duane Washington Jr. (restricted).

They can also begin negotiating extensions with eligible players, and that includes Jalen Brunson, who has a player option for next offseason. Brunson is reportedly willing to sign a four-year, $156 million extension this summer.

However, the big development with this information is that the team can negotiate with its biggest unrestricted free agents in Anunoby and Hartenstein. The Knicks would like to keep both but it's unlikely that a deal is finalized with either player before June 30 at 6 p.m. ET when free agent deals will become public and teams can officially negotiate with players from other teams.

Anunoby is seeking a contract that's worth around $35-40 million annually, but the Knicks appear hesitant to offer him that, which could force the former Indiana forward to test the open market, where some teams could give him what he's looking for.

As for Hartenstein, the Knicks can offer him a four-year, $72.5 million deal, but there's a chance that he could earn offers up to $20 million annually in free agency from other teams, so he will almost certainly wait for other teams to speak up before he figures out his future.

While both players have expressed interest in returning to the Knicks, each of them is about to sign their richest deals of their careers, so they are being financially responsible in waiting it out before they can truly put pen to paper with whichever team they want to sign with.

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