Knicks' Free Agency Outlook and Top Contract Decisions Following Trade Deadline

The New York Knicks could use a break.

Forget about the fact they are jostling for playoff position in the NBA's crowded Eastern Conference, they're also reeling from repeated attacks from the injury bug that have ripped apart this roster.

The club, of course, can't afford to let off the gas pedal, but this fanbase may perhaps benefit from a brief distraction from what it is—and, more importantly, who it isn't—seeing in the hardwood. Let's look ahead, then, at what awaits this franchise for the upcoming offseason.

Salary Outlook

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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - DECEMBER 18: Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks brings the ball up court with Jalen Brunson #11 during a 114-109 win over the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on December 18, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

The Knicks are expensive. As they should be.

This front office has assembled one of the deepest rosters in basketball, and that's objectively a good thing. It's just that it's also an objectively expensive thing.

New York already has five salaries on next season's books worth between $11.4 million and $30.3 million, per Spotrac. Not included in that figure is the $19 million salary held by deadline acquisition Bojan Bogdanović, since only $2 million of that amount is guaranteed. Also absence from that total is anything owed to OG Anunoby, who will surely decline his $19.9 million player option, since he can easily do better than that amount on the open market.

The Knicks have, presumably, accounted for both Bogdanović's salary and Anunoby's pay raise, but they have other items to tackle. Like the upcoming unrestricted free agency ventures in front of Isaiah Hartenstein and Alec Burks. Or the fact restricted free agency awaits Precious Achiuwa.

Tack on the potential for this franchise to broker a blockbuster trade, and there is plenty this organization must decide sooner than later. All of these decisions could be tricky, but we'll spotlight the two toughest tasks on the to-do list.

OG Anunoby's Player Option

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JANUARY 27: OG Anunoby #8 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball against the Miami Heat at Madison Square Garden on January 27, 2024 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Because Anunoby held that player option at the time of his late-December deal to New York—and because no one expected him to pick that up—the Knicks could have, in theory at least, seen him as a partial season rental.

Clearly that wasn't the case. The Knicks effectively tipped their hands about wanting to keep him around by paying the premium they did—namely, subtracting both RJ Barrett, the No. 3 pick in 2019, and Immanuel Quickley, the No. 25 pick in 2020.

As SNY's Ian Begley opined at the time of the trade, it was safe to assume "that New York feels good about its chances of re-signing Anunoby in free agency." Anunoby, Begley noted, is represented by CAA, an agency previously led by now-Knicks president Leon Rose. In fact, one of Anunoby's listed agents is Sam Rose, Leon's son.

So, all arrows point toward Anunoby signing a new deal with the Knicks this summer, but the question is for how much. We can't say for certain, beyond noting that it will surely be a ton. Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer shared an "expectation among NBA personnel" that Anunoby will ink something "far above" the four-year, $118 million extension Anunoby was limited to signing with the Toronto Raptors.

Isaiah Hartenstein's Unrestricted Free Agency

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 06: Isaiah Hartenstein #55 of the New York Knicks celebrates his shot in the second half against the Memphis Grizzlies at Madison Square Garden on February 06, 2024 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

Hartenstein spent the first few months of this season establishing himself as perhaps the best backup big man in the league. Then, once starting center Mitchell Robinson was lost to ankle surgery, Hartenstein proved he could be a more than serviceable part of the opening lineup.

His individual production rarely jumps off the page—he's reached double-digit points just 15 times this season—but his impact is often readily apparent. Since he joined the starting lineup on Dec. 20, the Knicks have fared 9.3 points better per 100 possessions with him than without, per NBA.com.

He is not only proving his worth to this team, he's also upping his appeal to potential outside suitors. Not that he's looking for a reason to leave the Empire State.

"Yeah, it's great timing, I can't lie about that, but at the end of the day, I love it here in New York," Hartenstein told reporters in early February. "The plan would be to stay, but at the end of the day, you can't predict what's going to happen."

The Knicks will almost certainly want him back, but can they justify covering his upcoming payday while also owing Robinson more than $27 million for the next seasons? There is absolutely a scenario in which New York might be forced to choose between its two starting-caliber centers, and with the way Hartenstein has played this season, he may not be the odd man out.