Knicks' Success Means There Won't Be Room on the Roster for These 3 Upcoming Free Agents

The Knicks' electric playoff run could price a few pending UFAs out of their offseason budget. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Knicks are officially two wins away from their first NBA Finals appearance in 27 years after beating up on the Cavaliers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday. The franchise's ninth consecutive win was another example of the Knicks completely exceeding expectations this spring, leaving time to tell if head coach Mike Brown can continue rallying the troops for six more victories.

No matter what happens next, it's clear that the Knicks latest run-in with success has altered the vibes around the Big Apple. Everyone—from superstars to role players—has an extra pep in their step, especially with New York setting the NBA record for the best point differential (plus-212) during a nine-game stretch, whether in the regular season or playoffs.

Watching the Knicks play their best basketball in a long time is great, but it might not come without an eventual cost. Deep playoff runs are something that free agents can use as leverage to get paid once free agency begins, and with New York boasting 10 expiring contracts to various degrees, there's a good chance that some players will become too expensive to retain. After all, the Knicks are projected to rank 26th in available cap space and only have $3.5 million remaining for the first apron, per Spotrac.

Here are three upcoming free agents who'll likely leave the Knicks in free agency as a result of their ongoing success.

1. Jordan Clarkson

Jordan Clarkson is the type of veteran UFA who other teams won't mind overpaying for. | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

The Knicks signed Jordan Clarkson to a minimum contract last offseason with the hope that he'd help elevate the bench. The former NBA Sixth Man of the Year has a reputation of being one of the best off-the-bench shooters in league history; however, he didn't look much like that guy in the regular season, averaging a career-low 8.6 points on .451/.327/.830 splits in 17.8 minutes per game.

Even though his three-point shooting is still leaving much to be desired in the playoffs, Clarkson has still found ways to make an impact. The former 2014 second-rounder has shown that he isn't afraid to get physical and drive the basket, as proven by his ranking fourth on the Knicks with 1.3 offensive rebounds per game. For reference, that's a whopping 4.9 rebounds per 100 possessions, which is more than what Karl-Anthony Towns is averaging (4.3).

Although this isn't the most offensively productive playoff run of his career, it is the deepest Clarkson has gone since he was with the 2017-18 Cavaliers. That extended time in the postseason spotlight could cause him to seek a contract worth more than the minimum he played on this season. He's turning 34 years old next month, so no one would blame him for chasing one last payday.

2. Landry Shamet

Landry Shamet's turnaround might price him out of New York. | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

It's well-documented that Landry Shamet's start to the 2025-26 season was forgettable. After a poor shooting performance in Game 1 of the opening-round Hawks series, Shamet was relegated to riding the bench until it was garbage time, resulting in his finishing without a point in four of the first eight playoff games. It was fair to wonder if he was playing himself right out of the Knicks' future.

Shamet's outlook immediately shifted in Game 3 against the 76ers with OG Anunoby out of the lineup. With a longer runway, the ex-Wichita State Shocker dropped 15 points—his first time doing so since Feb. 27—before following that up with a 13-point effort in Game 4, with all of those points coming on 4-of-6 shooting from the three-point line.

That momentum has since bled into the ECF, where Shamet scored a trio of threes on perfect shooting in Game 1. He only attempted one field goal (a miss) on Thursday night, but the Knicks didn't need more from him offensively. Besides, he contributed on the other end of the floor, picking up four defensive rebounds while notching a steal.

Even if he hasn't been perfect every game, Shamet has proved that he's capable of stepping up when the pressure is high in the postseason. Each of the other 29 NBA teams values that quality and likely won't hesitate to offer him a contract that the Knicks might not be willing to match.

3. Jeremy Sochan

Jeremy Sochan likely won't be back with the Knicks next season, but for different reasons than Shamet and Clarkson. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Unlike Shamet and Clarkson, Jeremy Sochan didn't start the season with the Knicks. Instead, he arrived in the Big Apple in mid-February after mutually agreeing with the Spurs on his release. He didn't make much of an impact to close out the regular season, though, averaging 2.8 points and 2.1 rebounds while shooting 56.7% from the field and 20.0% from deep in 16 games (6.9 minutes per outing).

Unsurprisingly, Sochan hasn't played a role outside of garbage time this postseason. The Knicks' frontcourt depth is too deep for him to stand out, which is why he's only averaged 4.6 minutes across five playoff appearances and hasn't touched the floor since the series-clinching win over the 76ers last round.

Towns and Anunoby will be back next season, and the Knicks will do whatever it takes to re-sign Mitchell Robinson this summer. Throw in the fact that restricted free agents Mohamed Diawara and Ariel Hukporti might also return, and it's understandable if New York is willing to let Sochan walk instead of maintaining a frontcourt logjam. Sochan's spot can always be used for a position that needs it, such as guard.

The former 2022 lottery pick likely won't have an issue finding a new home, even if he's become forgotten in the playoffs. He's averaging 4.0 points per game on .875/.500/.625 splits, as well as 11.0 rebounds per 100 possessions. That might be good enough to crack another team's lineup more consistently, just not the Knicks'.