Karl-Anthony Towns just finished a year that should have made him untouchable in New York. He won a world championship at 30 in his second season with the Knicks, earned his third straight NBA All-Star nod, and put up 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 31.0 minutes per game.
That kind of production usually buys a player a very comfortable next deal. In Towns’ case, it could be worth as much as $273 million over four years, or $68 million a season.
Instead, the conversation around him and the Knicks has turned tense. ESPN reported that contract talks have “stagnated” and that “an agreement is considered unlikely as the team begins training camp next week.” The issue, according to the report, is James Dolan’s reluctance to push the roster into the second apron and absorb the penalties that come with it.
That financial squeeze has already shown up elsewhere. Mitchell Robinson, of Western Kentucky fame, was a cap casualty in free agency and wound up leaving for Boston.
Now Towns has become the name to watch. Could he be next, either through a trade request or by New York moving him to clear money? The Celtics were in a similar spot with Jaylen Brown, who was also due a major extension, and ended up sending him to Philadelphia for draft compensation and Paul George’s expiring max contract.
Towns is due $57 million in 2026-27 and holds a $61 million player option for 2027-28. Knicks reporter Ian Begley said the team would prefer to keep him and that Towns wants to remain in New York, but the sides have been discussing a number in the “$45M-$50M range” annually.
That would amount to roughly a $20 million-per-year reduction from what Towns could have expected. Even for a New Jersey native, that is a steep hometown discount, and one that would be hard to blame him for passing on as he approaches 31.
Begley later added that there has been plenty of communication between the Knicks and Towns’ camp, and that the team has made clear it wants him around for a long time and values him highly.
Still, the broader picture in New York looks crowded. Josh Hart is also eligible for an extension, while Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby become eligible next year. Dolan has already made it clear he is not paying everybody, and the team’s moves have matched that stance.
Something has to give, and it may happen sooner rather than later.
In Other News...
Kentucky Fans Have Plenty To Debate About This Kansas Showdown
The annual Champions Classic will again put Kentucky in a high-profile early-season spot, and this years meeting with Kansas now has a formal landing point. The Wildcats and Jayhawks are scheduled to tip off Tuesday, Nov. 10 at 9:30 p.m. ET at the United Center in Chicago, with ESPN carrying the nightcap after Duke and Michigan State open the doubleheader at 7:00 p.m. ET.
For Kentucky fans, the announcement adds another circled date to a matchup that always brings plenty of conversation before anyone even reaches the opening tip. Presale tickets for the event are already available through Ticketmaster with the code WILDCATS, giving supporters a chance to lock in seats for one of the seasons most watched stages before the full picture around the game really starts to sharpen. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Has One Trap To Avoid After That Texas A&M Win
Fresh off the kind of win that can make a September feel bigger than it is, Kentucky comes home to Kroger Field on Saturday with a chance to keep its momentum rolling. The Wildcats will face South Alabama in a 12:45 p.m. ET kickoff on SEC Network, and the setting is exactly the sort that can test a team coming off an emotional high. Kentucky is trying to move to 3-1 and stay on track after taking down Texas A&M.
The danger is obvious enough: this is the sort of game where the favorite can spend more time fighting itself than the opponent. South Alabama arrives at 2-1 under Major Applewhite and has some uncertainty at quarterback, with Bishop Davenport dealing with a minor injury and Jared Hollins also in the mix. Kentucky is still favored by three touchdowns, but the challenge after a breakthrough win is keeping the same edge when the matchup on paper says it should be comfortable. [Read more 🡒]
Kentucky Faces A New Test After That Texas A&M Upset
Kentucky is trying to turn a signature win into something more than a feel-good headline, and Will Stein reached for a little outside perspective as he navigates the aftermath of the Texas A&M upset. The Wildcats first-year head coach talked with Urban Meyer about what comes next when a team gets a result it has been chasing, and Meyer pointed back to advice from Lou Holtz about how quickly the real work has to resume after the celebration fades.
The message, as Stein heard it, was less about enjoying the moment and more about protecting it. Meyer stressed the need to keep the coaching staff accountable and to preserve discipline once the adrenaline drops, because a breakthrough can become a distraction if the standard slips. For Kentucky, the challenge now is making sure the upset over Texas A&M becomes a springboard instead of a stopping point. [Read more 🡒]