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.
JEREMY BRENER
Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.