The Knicks have hit pause on contract talk, but Jalen Brunson isn’t expecting any fallout in the locker room.
New York has two starters, Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart, both eligible for extensions and both still without a deal. For the moment, though, the organization has decided to keep all of that on the shelf while it gets ready for the season.
“As an organization, our entire focus is on preparing for the upcoming season and delivering another year for our fans to be proud of. As a result, we will not be negotiating contract extensions until later in the season and will remain solely focused on preparing for the start of the season," a Knicks spokesperson told ESPN's Shams Charania.
There is still a path for both players to get what they want without pushing New York over the second apron. “Bobby Marks says that scenarios have been presented to the Knicks where Josh Hart and KAT (both CAA) accept contracts that keep the Knicks under the second apron in 2027-28," New York Post's Stefan Bondy wrote.
Brunson was asked on Saturday how he expected the two veterans to handle the situation after the extension talks stalled, and he didn’t offer much drama. Instead, he kept his answer pointed and simple.
“He's going to be professional. Not just him - everybody. Everyone's going to be professional and continue to do their jobs,” Brunson said.
That’s the posture New York is banking on: keep the business side separate, keep everybody locked in, and worry about the contracts later. The Knicks have a championship to defend, and Brunson’s message was that nothing about the current situation is going to change how the group approaches the season.
New York’s ceiling this year will come down to whether everyone stays bought in, no matter what happens with the numbers. Brunson, for his part, made it clear he expects that standard to hold.
In Other News...
Knicks And Karl-Anthony Towns Now Face A Real Long-Term Problem
Karl-Anthony Towns and the Knicks have spent the summer in extension talks, but the conversation has not produced a deal. New York has decided to set those discussions aside for now and shift its attention to the upcoming season, leaving the veteran big man in a familiar holding pattern as the team tries to keep its focus on the court.
Towns has made clear he wants to stay in New York, but the organization has not shown urgency to lock anything in, and the two sides remain apart on the terms. With the season approaching, the absence of movement adds a little more intrigue to a situation that was supposed to be straightforward, and it leaves the long-term picture murkier than either side likely wanted. [Read more 🡒]
Landry Shamet Is Putting Real Pressure On A Knicks Role Battle
Landry Shamet came to the Knicks on an Exhibit 9 deal in September 2024, and he has turned that low-profile signing into something much more meaningful. He has carved out real rotation minutes, and his preseason work has only strengthened the case that he belongs in the mix when New York starts sorting through the back end of its guard rotation.
The bigger issue now is where that leaves the teams sixth-man conversation and Miles McBrides spot in the pecking order. Shamets steady play has added another layer to a group that already needed clarity, and if he keeps forcing the issue, the Knicks may have a tougher decision than they expected as they weigh how to balance immediate production with long-term roster flexibility. [Read more 🡒]
Jalen Brunson Sends Clear Message As Knicks Face Josh Hart Uncertainty
Josh Hart is suddenly one of several Knicks veterans waiting on the business side of the offseason to sort itself out, as the team has put extension talks on hold while it navigates its cap picture. Hart has acknowledged the uncertainty but has taken the calm approach you would expect from someone locked in on the season, saying he believes things will work out and keeping his focus on the floor rather than the paperwork.
Jalen Brunsons message fit the moment for a team trying to keep its footing through that kind of uncertainty. The Knicks are asking players to stay professional and keep the attention on basketball, even as contract questions hang in the background, and Brunson made clear that is the standard inside the room. For now, the season remains the priority, but the unresolved business around Hart and others is not going away anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]