Miles McBride’s Knicks Return Plea Carries Major Ramifications

He's giving the Knicks a lot to think about...

Miles McBride sounds like he wants to stay with the Knicks. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There's no denying that Miles McBride is in a tricky spot with the Knicks. Despite being a valued sixth man and longtime fixture, he's now on an expiring deal while speeding toward a pay raise.

The uncertain situation could put McBride on the trade chopping block given the value he has, which might help New York as it looks to add a more premium third center while also steering clear of going into the second apron.

However, McBride is doing his best to keep that reality from coming true. At Fanatics Fan Fest on Wednesday, the guard stated he'd "love" to re-sign with the Knicks (h/t NBA NewYork).

"I just want to stay here," he said. "Hopefully we come to some type of agreement."

Q @JCMacriNBA: "You're extension eligible…you're currently the longest-tenured Knick"

(applause)

Deuce McBride: "Crazy"

JM: "How much would it mean to you to be a Knick for the foreseeable future?"

Deuce: "Man, I would love it. When I came to New York I didn't know anything… pic.twitter.com/rySMuDpEWb

— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) July 23, 2026

That's not all, though. In a video shared by Clutch Points, McBride lamented about players who don't accept their role and how his peers become highly paid despite not contributing to winning basketball.

I think if more guys bought in and understood their role, the NBA would look a lot different. ... Honestly, I think it's the NBA's fault because we reward guys that necessarily don't win. We reward guys that lose. ... We pay guys that lose, truthfully.

Miles McBride

Put the comments from these two connected elements together, and it seems McBride is hinting he'd be open to staying in the Big Apple on a deal that doesn't put New York in a financial bind. The potential effects of that possibility are wide-ranging.

Knicks will require sacrifices if they pursue Miles McBride return

First and foremost, holding onto McBride would eliminate almost all chances of landing a young and promising backup center.

McBride's individual defense, plus his knack for being a scoring spark plug off the bench who can even start, gives him real value in a trade. The fact that he's making just $4 million in 2026-26 also helps tremendously when conceptualizing a swap for a big man on a rookie deal.

Miles McBride's team-friendly contract is one of the many reasons why the Knicks should trade him. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Meanwhile, New York's other expendable bench pieces don't carry nearly the same weight in trade talks. Tyler Kolek and Mohamed Diawara have both shown flashes, but not enough to truly be sought after. Pacôme Dadiet has first-round draft pedigree going for him, yet severely lacking NBA results to show for it in two years.

Sure, there's Landry Shamet and Jose Alvarado to also dangle, but they're much more essential to the second unit and winning important games, as the Finals showed. So any deal would be much harder to pull off, even with second-rounders attached, assuming it's one of the young trio as the "featured" piece instead of McBride.

This causes the next knock-on effect: New York then needs to settle for less bankable two-way candidates or sign an aging vet on his last legs to fill out the center rotation—assuming a trade for a bigger name is impossible to execute if McBride isn't made available.

Third-string center shouldn't make or break a title defense, but there's a world where it's much more important if something happens to Andre Drummond. And if Karl-Anthony Towns even misses just a handful of games, racking up losses with a weak center rotation could impact the standings situation at the end of the year.

Then there's the down-the-road view of affording McBride when it is time to re-sign him next summer. At the moment, the Knicks' salary bill will actually increase in 2027-28 by nearly $10 million. Given how much owner James Dolan wants to avoid the second apron, keeping McBride isn't feasible with the currently scheduled commitments.

But there are ways to shed some money. Dadiet has a team option of over $5.3 million for 2027-28, and there's no reason not to pick it up. Meanwhile, trading both Kolek and Diawara, if they don't perform as hoped this upcoming season, would free up close to $5 million combined.

Then New York could be in spitting distance of a contract for McBride that isn't enormous, but still handsomely rewards him. Collin Gillespie's four-year, $48 million deal with the Suns this offseason serves as a relevant comparison for McBride, given they both are high-usage reserve guards.

Domino effect

A bigger deal for McBride could also prompt the Knicks to explore a more high-profile breakup or move. Shamet will make close to $6 million in 2027-28, but it remains to be seen if he can follow up his playoff performance. The structure of his contract leaves room for the team to explore a split as well.

Josh Hart also has a $22.4 million team option for 2027-28 that opens up a few possible paths. Although he seems likely to stick around, New York could pursue an extension that would bring him back at a smaller number than that while giving Hart more long-term financial security.

Admittedly, these are a lot of what-ifs and theories. But with the Knicks' precarious financial situation and immediate center needs, this is what the front office has to confront to ensure they maximize this title window.

There's absolutely a chance New York ignores McBride's wishes for the betterment of the team. If he can be used to upgrade another position, or the front office just isn't that high on his impact in terms of winning a title, they very well could send him packing.

But if the Knicks do want McBride back, especially since he seems open to a discount, then some concessions have to be made.