The New York Knicks are hitting pause on contract negotiations with their stars, the team announced Friday, shelving extension talks until later in the season.
Four players affected
The decision covers All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns and guards Josh Hart, Miles McBride and Tyler Kolek. Each is eligible for an extension, and the Knicks have until June 30 to get any deals done.
"As an organization, our entire focus is on preparing for the upcoming season and delivering another year for our fans to be proud of," a Knicks spokesman said. "As a result, we will not be negotiating contract extensions until later in the season."
The timing puts the franchise's most important financial questions on hold even as it prepares to defend its championship. The move is a gamble: delaying talks can avoid distractions, but it also risks letting players enter the season uncertain about their futures in New York.
Towns was not expecting a deal
Towns, the team's All-Star centerpiece, had already signaled this week that he did not expect an agreement before the season began.
"It don't look good," Towns said Monday. "I want to do something that can keep the team together and work with the Knicks and also values me. None of those things have come close to happening."
Towns, 30, is owed $57 million this season and holds a $61.1 million player option for 2027-28. He is eligible for a four-year extension worth a maximum of $276 million, which would be one of the largest contracts in franchise history.
In last season's playoffs, Towns averaged 15.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists as the Knicks ended a 53-year championship drought by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the NBA Finals. That title run reset the franchise's ambitions, and keeping the core together is widely seen as essential to repeating.
For now, though, the front office wants basketball to do the talking. Extension talks will resume when the season is underway, with both sides having a clearer picture of where the team stands.
Sources:
Reuters via GMA News: Knicks table contract talks for Karl-Anthony Towns, others
Four players affected
The decision covers All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns and guards Josh Hart, Miles McBride and Tyler Kolek. Each is eligible for an extension, and the Knicks have until June 30 to get any deals done.
"As an organization, our entire focus is on preparing for the upcoming season and delivering another year for our fans to be proud of," a Knicks spokesman said. "As a result, we will not be negotiating contract extensions until later in the season."
The timing puts the franchise's most important financial questions on hold even as it prepares to defend its championship. The move is a gamble: delaying talks can avoid distractions, but it also risks letting players enter the season uncertain about their futures in New York.
Towns was not expecting a deal
Towns, the team's All-Star centerpiece, had already signaled this week that he did not expect an agreement before the season began.
"It don't look good," Towns said Monday. "I want to do something that can keep the team together and work with the Knicks and also values me. None of those things have come close to happening."
Towns, 30, is owed $57 million this season and holds a $61.1 million player option for 2027-28. He is eligible for a four-year extension worth a maximum of $276 million, which would be one of the largest contracts in franchise history.
In last season's playoffs, Towns averaged 15.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists as the Knicks ended a 53-year championship drought by defeating the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the NBA Finals. That title run reset the franchise's ambitions, and keeping the core together is widely seen as essential to repeating.
For now, though, the front office wants basketball to do the talking. Extension talks will resume when the season is underway, with both sides having a clearer picture of where the team stands.
Sources:
Reuters via GMA News: Knicks table contract talks for Karl-Anthony Towns, others
