The second apron did not stop the Knicks from keeping #MitchellRobinson Because Mitch spent eight seasons in New York, the Knicks owned his full Bird rights, meaning they could exceed the salary cap to re-sign him and match Boston’s three-year, $47.4 million offer. The problem is that paying him would have pushed New York above the second apron, bringing a massive luxury-tax bill and some of the NBA’s harshest restrictions on #trades and future roster moves. So this was not a situation where the Knicks were unable to pay Mitch—they decided keeping that financial flexibility was more important. Now Robinson is joining Boston, and the Knicks have to replace one of the league’s best offensive #rebounders with much cheaper options. #knicks #nba