As the Knicks grapple with their second-apron mandate and extension eligibilities, the proposed solutions seem to be skipping over the obvious:

Trade Mikal Bridges.

To clear, I’m neither reporting on such a move nor advocating for it. The ideal scenario for the Knicks, no matter how unfathomable it may seem today given James Dolan’s “suicidal” comment about the second apron, is to spend as necessary to keep together a championship roster.

But if we’re trying to make dollars and sense out of the conundrum, Bridges is the most expendable. It’s certainly not Jalen Brunson or OG Anunoby, who are both eligible for extensions in the summer of 2027. It’s certainly not Karl-Anthony Towns, who can become a free agent after the season without an extension. It’s also not Josh Hart, the glue guy who is currently eligible for an extension.