Diawara's Knicks Future
Knicks Finalizing Multi-Year, $10 Million-Plus Deal to Keep Mohamed Diawara
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Key Points
1
Shams Charania of ESPN reported that Mohamed Diawara intends to sign a multiyear, $10-plus-million deal to return to the Knicks.
2
Diawara started seven games in his rookie season, illustrating he earned meaningful NBA minutes and could take on a larger role next year.
3
Because Diawara is a restricted free agent, the Knicks are expected to use Non-Bird rights; a three-year Non-Bird deal would likely fall short of $10 million, making a four-year contract more probable unless an exception is used.
4
The move aims to preserve continuity on a championship Knicks roster by keeping a late-draft development asset in the rotation, even as questions remain about how much of the core (e.g., Mitchell Robinson, Landry Shamet) will return.
The New York Knicks are set to re-sign restricted free agent Mohamed Diawara to a multiyear deal worth more than $10 million, ESPN reported on June 22. The move is the first major roster decision for the franchise since winning the 2026 NBA Championship — their first title in 53 years — earlier this month.
Diawara, 21, went undrafted until pick No. 51 in the 2025 NBA Draft. He played 69 games in his rookie season, averaging 3.6 points per game, and started seven times. The Knicks want to lock him up before other teams can make an offer when free agency opens.
Knicks Lock Up a Cheap, Versatile Piece
Shams Charania of ESPN first reported that Diawara plans to return to New York on a deal that will pay him at least $10 million total. Hoops Rumors analysts believe a four-year contract is the most likely outcome, starting at roughly $2.2 million per year with 5% annual raises — totaling about $10.5 million.
The Knicks hold Diawara's Non-Bird rights. That is an NBA salary rule that lets a team re-sign its own free agent without counting the contract against certain spending limits. It is one of the few tools the Knicks have left to add a multiyear deal without triggering a hard cap penalty.
From 9 Minutes a Game to a Bigger Role
Diawara averaged just 9.2 minutes per game last season, but his per-36-minute numbers tell a different story: 14.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists, according to StatMuse. He shoots 36.9% from three-point range and has a 7-foot-4 wingspan, which Coach Mike Brown called a sign of "shockingly high IQ" and "defensive versatility."
Diawara only played six games in the postseason and logged zero minutes in the Finals. But SNY insider Ian Begley reported that other teams showed high interest in him, which pushed the Knicks to move fast. If guard Landry Shamet leaves for a bigger deal elsewhere — he could earn $8 million or more annually — Diawara is expected to jump to 18–22 minutes per game.
Dolan's Spending Limit Drives the Decision
Owner James Dolan set strict financial rules during the Knicks' championship parade on June 18. He told WFAN the team would not cross the NBA's Second Apron — a hard spending threshold set at $222 million for the 2026–27 season. The Knicks' starting five alone already accounts for $192 million in salary, according to analyst Jonathan Macri.
Re-signing Diawara at roughly $2.5 million per year fits that constraint. But ESPN's Bobby Marks warns that signing Diawara, center Mitchell Robinson, and Shamet all at once would almost certainly push the Knicks past the Second Apron. Dolan has called that scenario "suicidal." The team will likely have to choose who stays.
Mitchell Robinson's Future Now Under a Spotlight
With Diawara's deal nearly done, attention turns to Mitchell Robinson — the longest-tenured Knick and an unrestricted free agent. Robinson is seeking a contract believed to exceed $15 million per year. The Stein Line reports the Los Angeles Lakers are closely monitoring his availability if the Knicks cannot fit his price.
The Knicks also hold picks No. 24 and No. 31 in the June 24 draft. With Diawara already secured, Empire Sports Media and other outlets predict Leon Rose will trade at least one of those picks rather than take on the cap holds tied to two more rookies. The championship roster is built. Now the question is how much of it can survive the salary cap.
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