Karl-Anthony Towns’ next contract could end up shaping the Knicks’ roster far beyond one player, and one recent projection would give New York exactly the kind of breathing room it wants.
Stefan Bondy of the New York Post recently floated a four-year, $180 million deal for Towns, writing: “The big question: How much of a discount is he willing to accept?” Bondy added, “Here’s a prediction for the deal: four years, $180 million.”
That number is not sourced, but it comes from someone who has spent a lot of time around the team, and it is worth taking seriously because of what it would mean for the Knicks’ financial future. If Towns lands on that kind of extension, the team could keep its core together after this season and still have room to add more talent.
The biggest issue is how the deal would be structured. The key question is whether Towns would be turning down his $61 million player option as part of a new four-year, $180 million extension, or simply tacking four more years onto his current contract.
From the Knicks’ point of view, the ideal outcome is clear: Towns declines the option and signs the new deal. That would bring his 2027-28 salary down to about $61.9 million, which is roughly $19.2 million less than the player option.
It would be a major sacrifice on Towns’ part, but the extension would also nearly triple his guaranteed money. And with the open market not looking especially helpful for him next summer, or even in 2028, locking in long-term security could matter more now that he’s in his 30s.
There’s also the example of Jalen Brunson and others around him. Towns was not on the roster when Brunson signed his current contract, but he has seen firsthand how that kind of financial commitment can help a team win a championship. So while the idea of a discount might sound unlikely, it is not impossible.
If Towns is on the books for $41.9 million in 2027-28, the Knicks would still have $26.5 million of room under the second apron. That figure only counts contracts for 10 players and does not include Deuce McBride, but it does include Josh Hart’s $22.4 million option.
Hart’s situation matters too. He could turn down that team option and work out a cheaper extension, which would make New York’s books even cleaner. In this setup, the Knicks could either keep him at full value or give him a raise, then let his salary come down later as they plan for Brunson’s larger payday.
The end result is a setup that would let New York re-sign McBride, fill out the roster, and stay under the second apron. And if McBride gets paid in line with comparable players, the Knicks could even have access to the $6.4 million mini mid-level exception to help upgrade the rotation.
For the Knicks, this would be more than just a nice outcome. Relative to their cap situation, it would be the dream scenario.
In Other News...
Knicks Have A Second-Unit Decision That Could Shape Their Ceiling
The Knicks early rotation questions are not really about who starts at this point, but about which combinations can keep the game on the right track once the first wave of stars heads to the bench. With Jalen Brunson, OG Anunoby and Karl-Anthony Towns all anchoring different parts of the lineup puzzle, the coaching staff is digging into past minutes together and looking for groupings that can juice the teams overall performance without sacrificing the defensive structure that has to hold the whole thing together.
Andre Drummond is one of the more interesting pieces in that search, because his minutes can change the shape of the floor in a hurry depending on who is beside him. And beyond the veteran big-man wrinkle, there is also a younger option in Mohamed Diawara who has shown enough in a tiny sample alongside Towns to at least stay on the radar as the Knicks sort through which second-unit look gives them the best chance to raise their ceiling. [Read more 🡒]
Pacome Dadiet Faces A Tough Knicks Battle He Must Win Soon
Pacome Dadiet enters a crucial stretch for the Knicks as the 21-year-old wing tries to turn a sparse rookie-year sample into a real rotation case. Taken with the No. 25 pick in 2024, Dadiet spent most of last season on the margins, getting only limited run while the team leaned on more established options, and now he is trying to show enough progress to matter in a much tighter race for minutes.
The challenge is straightforward even if the path is not: New York has a crowded wing picture, and every practice rep in training camp and every possession in preseason will carry added weight for Dadiet. For a young player in his spot, the margin for error is thin, and the Knicks will be watching closely to see whether he can force his way into the conversation before the rotation decisions start to harden. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Are Suddenly Counting On Mohamed Diawara More Than Expected
Mohamed Diawara did not come into the summer looking like a central piece of the Knicks regular-season plan, but the way the roster is shaping up has changed that quickly. As the team works toward finalizing its 14th roster spot, Diawaras development has taken on added weight because the Knicks want him to grow into a versatile second-year option who can help in more than one place.
With Andre Drummond now in the mix and wing depth still thin, the need for Diawara to handle both wing duties and some center rotation responsibilities is becoming harder to ignore. For a team trying to keep its lineup flexible while sorting through the rest of the roster, his progress may end up mattering more than expected over the course of the season. [Read more 🡒]