{"id":359089,"date":"2026-09-28T19:22:11","date_gmt":"2026-09-28T19:22:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/359089\/"},"modified":"2026-09-28T19:22:11","modified_gmt":"2026-09-28T19:22:11","slug":"karl-anthony-towns-wants-extension-to-stay-with-knicks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/359089\/","title":{"rendered":"Karl-Anthony Towns wants extension to stay with Knicks"},"content":{"rendered":"

TARRYTOWN, N.Y. — Karl-Anthony Towns<\/a> reiterated his desire to get a contract extension done while acknowledging the potential discomfort an unsettled situation could bring as the New York Knicks<\/a> look to defend their NBA title.<\/p>\n

“I’ve made it known I want to play here,” Towns said Monday at media day. “I’ve been a fan since I was a kid. I’d like to get it done and step on the floor and feel as comfortable as possible.”<\/p>\n

Towns is eligible for a four-year deal worth over $276 million, but it doesn’t appear something will get done before the season starts. He is due $57 million this season and has a $61.1 million player option for next season.<\/p>\n

A six-time All-Star, Towns was a catalyst for the Knicks’ playoff run last season, averaging 15.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists as New York ended a 53-year title drought with a five-game Finals victory over the San Antonio Spurs<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Towns, who turns 31 in November, was asked if he wanted to table contract talks when the season begins so that it wouldn’t be a distraction.<\/p>\n

“In this situation, there’s no comfortability to be had,” he said.<\/p>\n

Towns’ potential extension is at the intersection of the Knicks keeping their championship core together and staying underneath the punitive second apron — it already cost the team backup center Mitchell Robinson<\/a>, who signed with the Boston Celtics<\/a> this summer.<\/p>\n

“You ask me to give three facts or two facts about the second apron, I can’t do it,” Towns said. “I have no interest in that. It is what it is. [Knicks team president] Leon [Rose] trusts me with stuff on the court, and I trust him with that stuff.”<\/p>\n

But Towns knows these issues can fester through the season. He said he won’t ignore them.<\/p>\n

“The first thing is we try to talk about everything. We don’t leave any elephants in the room,” Towns said. “They’ll figure it out and our group has done a fantastic job of understanding that we can only control what we can control.”<\/p>\n

Towns isn’t the only starter with a looming contract, as Josh Hart<\/a> is eligible for an extension. Hart will make $20.9 million this season and there’s a team option for $22.3 million in 2027-28.<\/p>\n

Hart mentioned the second apron and collective bargaining agreement having played a part in the NBA having eight different champions in eight years, with the Knicks hoping to buck that trend. The challenge could be made tougher in a deeper, top-heavy Eastern Conference and the Knicks’ own contractual issues.<\/p>\n

“When there’s uncertainty, there’s gonna be a lot of questions,” Hart said. “Rumors and at a human level it can wear people down and it can affect how you handle business on a daily basis. You want to get it done so you don’t have to deal with that. At the end of the day, it’s a business. For me, as long as I’m wearing this jersey, I’m going to play as hard as I can. Hopefully we can figure that out.”br\/]<\/p>\n

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