After winning the 2026 NBA Championship, the New York Knicks have approached this offseason with the intention of bringing back most of their roster to make another deep playoff run in 2026. 

The Knicks brought back Jose Alvarado, Landry Shamet, and Mohamed Diawara on relatively cheap deals. The moves have gained attention from the NBA community as well as generated some praise for how they were able to bring key pieces back. 

ESPN NBA front office insider Bobby Marks recently shared his thoughts on how the Knicks were able to bring back the three players while still having their starting lineup intact, and he praised New York for being able to negotiate these kinds of deals. 

What sparks so much positive conversation about these moves is the way the Knicks are still financially flexible even with these moves. Marks mentioned that all three contracts essentially add up to $13 million when you consider guaranteed money. 

Alvarado's deal is interesting because only the first year is fully guaranteed, and he's making about $4 million in his first year of the deal. 

One point that Marks made about the negotiations that took place between the Knicks and the three players they re-signed is that it's much easier to negotiate deals like these, considering they're coming off a championship season and they're playing in New York City. 

Jose Alvarado was one of the guys on the team who really brought this team together as soon as he got traded to the Knicks. Alvarado built a great relationship with the likes of Karl-Anthony Towns, Jordan Clarkson, and Miles McBride. 

He was a vocal player on the court, and when things got chippy, he was usually one of the players on the front lines of a scuffle. Alvarado is also beloved by the fans, and one could imagine it would be hard to leave that kind of environment. 

Landry Shamet had a career-defining playoff run with the Knicks in 2026 and became a fan favorite. Shamet was a big contributor in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Cavaliers, where he shot over 90 percent from three-point range. 

Shamet and Alvarado were able to step up in big moments throughout the playoffs and contributed to the Knicks' championship. For any player, the end goal will be to win a championship, and these two players were able to do that while being put in a system that allows them to succeed.