The Knicks are limited in how much they can offer Isaiah Hartenstein. Why? How does it work? Because Hartenstein, who will become an unrestricted free agent this summer, signed a two-year contract with the Knicks in 2022, the team is now capped at how much it can pay to bring him back for next season. The two-year deal means they have only Early Bird rights, not Full Bird rights, which accrue when a player has been with a team for three or more seasons. The Knicks can bring Hartenstein back, but they cannot offer a starting salary greater than 175 percent of his previous season’s pay. -via New York Times / June 3, 2024