Knicks-Karl-Anthony Towns extension talks stall entering training camp
Sources tell ESPN's Shams Charania and Vincent Goodwill an agreement is unlikely soon, with James Dolan's second-apron aversion looming over the reigning champions.
What to know
- Towns is eligible for up to a four-year, roughly $273-276 million extension but talks have stagnated with camp starting next week.
- James Dolan's stated refusal to push the Knicks into the second luxury-tax apron is the central obstacle, and already cost the team backup center Mitchell Robinson.
- A deal remains possible later in the season, but ESPN sources call it unlikely in the short term.
- Fans disagree over who holds leverage: some think the front office can wait Towns out, others argue he won't sign for less than max-level money.
The dispute Whether the Knicks front office truly holds leverage in the standoff or whether Towns' performance and market value force their hand. · positions read across 11 posts and comments
The front office holds leverage and can wait to see if Towns and the team repeat before committing big money.
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“Nah the front office has the leverage, if they repeat they pay him, if they don't (I'll take my chances they don't) it means he prob did not make a strong case this upcoming szn to get a raise.”
WoodpeckerSea4896 · Reddit ↗
Avoiding the second apron will cripple the team's ability to defend the title, regardless of Dolan's money concerns.
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“What option allows them to try for a repeat that also doesn't result in being a second apron repeater? I don't care at all about Dolan's money, but second apron hell makes it hard to make a lot of moves around trades and signings.”
mikesh8rp · Reddit ↗
Towns won't accept a below-market deal given what he could command as a free agent.
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“No way KAT entertains less than 55-58/yr If 69 is his max he would be giving up a lot already”
ositola · Reddit ↗
“I think a four-year max extension is in the neighborhood of $275-ish million. It's an enormous number. Obviously, if the Knicks felt that way, they would have offered him that; he would have signed it already.”
Brian Windhorst, ESPN NBA insider · The Hoop Collective / Yahoo Sports ↗ · Sep 18
Karl-Anthony Towns Knicks center, extension-eligible All-StarJames Dolan Knicks ownerLeon Rose Knicks president
Brian Windhorst ESPN NBA insider
Shams Charania ESPN NBA insider
How it unfolded 5 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlespostscomments
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Fans debate leverage and money as news of the standstill spreads
Reddit commenters split over whether the front office or Towns holds leverage, with some arguing the Knicks can wait out a potential non-repeat season and others insisting Towns won't take less than roughly $55-58 million per year.
“No way KAT entertains less than 55-58/yr If 69 is his max he would be giving up a lot already…”
— ositola, Reddit commenter · source -
🏀 Contract talks between Karl-Anthony Towns and the Knicks are reportedly at a standstill, with an extension of up to 4 years and ₿3229.64 on the table. Towns is set to earn ₿674.32 this season, with a ₿721.64 player option for 2027-28 as New York aims to avoid the second apron. #NBA
2 more of the top 3 · 11 posts in this stretch
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Nah the front office has the leverage, if they repeat they pay him, if they don't (I'll take my chances they don't) it means he prob did not make a strong case this upcoming szn to get a raise. KAT would then be backed into corner: 1) S&T next summer to chase the bag or 2) sign for less to stay a Knick. Again this is predicting that the Knicks…
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What option allows them to try for a repeat that also doesn't result in being a second apron repeater? I don't care at all about Dolan's money, but second apron hell makes it hard to make a lot of moves around trades and signings. Keeping Mitch would have been a multi-year deal. Who knows if he's healthy enough to really go for a repeat, but even…
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Outlets confirm Towns' $273M eligibility and Dolan's apron edict
Multiple outlets recapped that Towns is eligible for up to a four-year, $273 million extension, is owed $57 million this season with a $61 million player option for 2027-28, and that Dolan's apron aversion already cost the Knicks backup center Mitchell Robinson to Boston.
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first by Yahoo Sports, 9h ago
1 more headline
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ESPN reports Knicks-Towns extension talks at a standstill
Shams Charania and Vincent Goodwill reported that extension talks have stagnated with no recent movement, and a deal is considered unlikely as camp begins next week, though the two sides could still agree later in the season.
“This is a cloud going into training camp.”
— Shams Charania -
first by Newsweek, 8h ago · also Yahoo Sports, NY Post, New York Post, Sporting News
8 more headlines
- Knicks asking Karl-Anthony Towns to take a discount from max, offering deal starting in the $45 million-plus range Yahoo Sports · 8h ago
- Karl-Anthony Towns’ Knicks contract talks stall as $272 million question looms NY Post · 8h ago
- Knicks rumors: Karl-Anthony Towns contract extension 'unlikely' entering camp Yahoo Sports · 8h ago
- Why is Karl-Anthony Towns balking at the Knicks’ contract extension offers? Yahoo Sports · 7h ago
- Knicks’ $276 Million Karl-Anthony Towns Decision Takes Stunning Turn Yahoo Sports · 6h ago
- Knicks’ $276M Karl-Anthony Towns Standoff Comes Down to One Major Demand Yahoo Sports · 4h ago
- Knicks hit major roadblock in Karl-Anthony Towns’ $276 million contract talks Yahoo Sports · 3h ago
- Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns Offer Revealed Amid $276 Million Standoff Yahoo Sports · 1h ago
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5 outlets first by ESPN, 8h ago · also CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports, Sporting News, ESPN NBA · read ↗
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- 1 day quiet
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SI dissects the Dolan-Rose spending dilemma over Towns
Sports Illustrated laid out the tension between Dolan's spending limits and Leon Rose's need to build a title-defense roster, weighing Towns' statistical case for an extension against the Knicks' cap constraints.
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first by Sports Illustrated, 2d ago
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- 1 day quiet
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Windhorst flags Dolan's second-apron stance as threat to KAT deal
ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective that discussions between the Knicks and Towns had not advanced toward anything near a four-year, roughly $275 million max extension, tying the impasse to Dolan's public refusal to cross the second tax apron.
“Jim Dolan is on the record stating he's not going into the second apron... if they stick to that, and they sign Karl Towns to an extension... they will not be able to keep this team together.”
— Brian Windhorst -
first by Yahoo Sports, 4d ago
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What people are saying 7 voices from 1 site · best of 11 · verbatim
- Yesterday
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He'd easily get that in the market. Plenty of teams willing to pay that, especially to a champion
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I don’t think that is the case. Honestly it makes sense whatever we decide to do to wait until the offseason anyway as whatever he signs for will effect how much cap space under the 2nd apron we have and what potential FA we might want to target. I think KAT will work with the FO that ultimately works best for the team going forward.
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Knicks are right for not paying 69m/y for KAT That money should be reserved for Jokic, SGA type of players only
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The Clippers could have had Jaylen Brown for free and chose not to, I’m supposed to believe they’re gonna wanna max out KAT in 1.5 years?
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Fans irrationally want their team to win. If the roles were switched, nobody would be negotiating their pay down so the company does better... But again... irrational fans.
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How many winning teams historically have not featured max contract player? Winning in the NBA requires top level talent, you don’t win just by assembling a collection of good-not-great players. Also whether or not max contacts make sense from a team building perspective is entirely a CBA question, so it’s weird to say youre very anti-max contract…
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Yeah its funny how people forget why he ended up in NY in the first place. 2nd apron comes for everyone