Miles McBride Has Become the Knicks’ Toughest Decision

Miles McBride is one of the NBA’s best bargains, but his expiring contract could force the Knicks to choose between an extension and a trade.

Miles McBride has developed into exactly the type of player every championship team wants.

He defends aggressively, converts three-pointers, accepts his role and produces without requiring the ball. The New York Knicks helped transform a second-round pick into a valuable two-way guard who contributed to an NBA championship.

That successful development has now created a complicated problem.

McBride will earn approximately $4 million during the final season of his contract, making him one of the league’s most valuable bargains. He is also approaching unrestricted free agency and could become considerably more expensive next summer.

The Knicks must decide whether to extend him, trade him for help at another position or risk losing him for nothing.

Whatever they choose could affect the future of their championship rotation.

McBride Has Completely Outgrown His Contract

McBride signed a three-year, $13 million extension in December 2023.

At the time, the agreement represented security for a young guard still attempting to establish a permanent rotation role. It has since become an extraordinary value for New York.

McBride averaged career highs of 12.0 points and 2.6 assists last season while playing 26.3 minutes per game. He also shot 41.3 percent from three-point range on 6.6 attempts per contest.

That combination of volume and efficiency changed his offensive reputation.

McBride entered the NBA primarily known for his defense. Opposing teams could once help away from him and concentrate on New York’s leading scorers. His shooting improvement now makes that strategy considerably more dangerous.

He can punish open space without interrupting the offense, making him an excellent complement to Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns.

Players with that skill set rarely earn less than $4 million.

His Defense Remains Essential to the Knicks

McBride’s development as a shooter should not overshadow his original strength.

He remains one of New York’s most reliable point-of-attack defenders. McBride can pressure opposing ballhandlers, fight through screens and force guards to begin offensive actions farther away from the basket.

That defensive energy becomes especially important when Brunson is on the floor.

The Knicks need perimeter defenders capable of accepting difficult assignments while their franchise guard concentrates on creating offense. McBride performs that role without demanding additional possessions at the other end.

His presence also gives head coach Mike Brown greater lineup flexibility.

McBride can play beside Brunson, operate with the second unit or close games when New York needs more defensive pressure. At only 25 years old, he should be entering the most productive period of his career.

Trading a player with those qualities would create another hole in the rotation.

Why the Knicks Could Still Consider Trading McBride

McBride’s value is the reason New York may consider moving him.

The Knicks possess limited draft capital, little financial flexibility and very few attractive contracts outside their starting lineup. Any attempt to acquire a meaningful player may require them to include an asset other teams actually want.

McBride fits that description.

He is young, productive and inexpensive. A rebuilding team could view him as a potential starter, while another contender could immediately add him to its rotation without creating major financial complications.

New York also has greater depth in the backcourt than in the frontcourt.

Brunson will control the majority of the important point-guard minutes. José Alvarado can run the second unit, while Jordan Clarkson and Landry Shamet provide additional perimeter options.

The situation at center is less secure.

Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond are the only established centers on the roster. If the Knicks identify a younger, more mobile big man capable of earning playoff minutes, McBride may be the most realistic trade piece required to complete a deal.

An Expiring Contract Creates Additional Pressure

Keeping McBride through the entire season carries its own risk.

His current contract expires in 2027, when he can become an unrestricted free agent. Another productive campaign would increase his market value and potentially place his next agreement outside New York’s preferred price range.

The Knicks could then face three undesirable possibilities.

They could pay a substantial salary to retain a reserve guard, watch him sign with another team without receiving compensation or complete a sign-and-trade under more complicated circumstances.

Moving McBride before the deadline would prevent the possibility of losing him for nothing.

However, trading him simply because his next contract may become expensive would represent a short-term approach for a team attempting to win another championship.

New York must first determine whether McBride’s current production is more valuable than the player it could receive in return.

The Extension Decision Is No Longer Completely Binary

The situation initially appeared to present the Knicks with a direct choice.

They could extend McBride and potentially restrict his trade eligibility, or delay negotiations to preserve maximum flexibility through the deadline.

A specific contract structure could allow New York to accomplish both objectives.

McBride may be eligible to sign an extension worth approximately three years and $55 million while remaining available for an in-season trade. The agreement would need to satisfy restrictions involving its length, starting salary and annual raises.

That possibility changes the conversation.

The Knicks could reward McBride, prevent him from reaching unrestricted free agency and still retain the option of trading him if the correct opportunity becomes available.

An extension would also give other teams greater contractual certainty. Instead of acquiring a player who could leave after one season, a trade partner would receive a productive guard under team control for several years.

The larger salary would begin with the extension and could eventually make McBride easier to use in a future trade for a more expensive player.

A New Contract Would Carry Its Own Risk

A three-year, $55 million extension would represent an average salary of more than $18 million.

That may be reasonable for a two-way guard in his prime, but it would dramatically change how the Knicks evaluate McBride.

He is currently valuable partly because his production greatly exceeds his salary. Once he receives a significant raise, New York will need him to maintain or improve his current performance.

The Knicks already have expensive long-term commitments throughout their starting lineup. Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart and other important players are also eligible for new agreements.

Every additional contract affects the team’s position around the second apron.

Extending McBride would protect an asset, but it would also add another meaningful salary to an increasingly expensive roster.

Trading McBride Could Become a Major Regret

The Knicks should also consider what McBride could become.

He has improved during almost every season of his career. His three-point shooting has developed from a weakness into one of his most valuable qualities, while his defense was NBA-ready before his offense reached the same level.

At 25, McBride may not have reached his ceiling.

A larger role on another team could reveal additional playmaking and scoring ability. If New York trades him for a temporary frontcourt solution and he develops into a productive starter, the decision could become extremely difficult to defend.

The Knicks have already invested years in his development. Giving another organization the benefit of that work should require a meaningful return.

Trading McBride for an ordinary third center would be poor value.

Any deal involving him should deliver a player capable of strengthening the championship rotation, not simply filling the final roster spot.

The Knicks Should Extend McBride Without Promising Permanence

The most logical solution is attempting to negotiate a trade-compatible extension.

That would reward McBride for outperforming his current contract while protecting New York from losing him in unrestricted free agency. It would also allow the Knicks to preserve flexibility if a significant opportunity emerges.

An extension would not guarantee that McBride remains in New York for the entire agreement.

It would give the franchise additional time to evaluate its roster and make a decision based on basketball rather than an approaching contract expiration.

The Knicks should not trade McBride simply because he is their best available asset. Championship teams need dependable two-way guards, and replacing his defense and shooting may prove more difficult than expected.

If another team offers a frontcourt player who clearly improves New York’s playoff rotation, the Knicks should listen.

Anything less should not be enough.

Miles McBride has developed from an inexpensive prospect into a genuine championship contributor. The Knicks’ most difficult decision is no longer determining whether he belongs in the NBA.

It is deciding whether he has become too valuable to keep—or too valuable to trade.