Karl-Anthony Towns and the Knicks may be circling the same question for a while longer, but one part of the equation is already settled: nothing gets done before August 11.
That date matters because of the NBA’s trade rules. With the league confirming the 2027 trade deadline as February 11, next Tuesday is the last day Towns can sign a new contract and still remain eligible to be traded in-season. Players in his situation can’t be moved for six months after signing an extension, and the exceptions don’t really help here given how much money he’s making.
So while the extension watch keeps rolling, this isn’t really about New York rushing to protect trade flexibility. The Knicks don’t appear interested in moving Towns anyway.
Unless he suddenly asks out, they’re far more likely to keep him than deal him, especially after he was at least the third most important player on a title team. New York is not going to push him into a new contract just so it can preserve the option of trading him before the 2027 offseason.
That’s why Towns has every reason to wait. Unlike Mikal Bridges last summer, who signed a deal that left him trade-eligible in-season, Towns holds the leverage here. The Knicks just won a title, he remains a huge offensive weapon at his position, and New York needs him more than he needs to hurry.
If he does eventually agree to an extension, it still won’t happen until after August 11. Waiting past that point removes any lingering uncertainty about whether he could be flipped during the season.
The real issue, if the sides fail to get something done, is money.
A lot of people expect Towns to take less than his max extension - four years, $272.8 million - in order to keep the group together beyond 2026-27. Jalen Brunson already accepted less, and owner James Dolan’s reluctance to go into the second apron makes a discounted number feel less like a wish and more like a requirement.
But that doesn’t mean Towns and the Knicks are automatically aligned on what a discount looks like. Even if he’s open to taking less than the max, there’s no guarantee New York sees the number the same way. If this situation stalls, that’s the part most likely to do it.
For now, though, one thing is clear: whatever happens with an extension, Karl-Anthony Towns won’t be signing it until after August 11.
In Other News...
Josh Hart And Mitchell Robinson Still Define What Knicks Fans Loved
Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson may be wearing different uniforms now, but the bond that formed during their time with the Knicks still feels like part of the franchise's recent identity. Robinson, now with the Celtics, was quick to show support for Hart after a fan post on social media, a small reminder that the appreciation between the two players never really left with the roster turnover.
For Knicks fans, it is the kind of connection that lingers after a championship run, especially when the players involved helped define the team's edge on both ends of the floor. Robinson brought the rebounding and rim protection that made him such a force, while Hart carved out his value with the energy and versatility that translated so well in New York and continues to matter with his new team. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Face A Deuce McBride Decision With Bigger Implications
The Knicks have a small but meaningful roster decision looming with Deuce McBride, and the timing matters more than it might at first glance. They have until Aug. 11 to work out an extension, a move that would give them added flexibility with one of their young guards and keep the contract picture cleaner as the franchise continues sorting out its backcourt future.
If New York lets the date pass, the path to a new deal gets more complicated, and the ripple effects could reach beyond just McBrides next paycheck. The front office has to weigh not only what he means on the floor, but also how an extension might shape his trade value and what kind of long-term leverage the Knicks want to preserve around a player who has become part of the teams larger planning. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks May Regret This Lakers Salary Dump Sooner Than Expected
The Knicks draft-night maneuver with the Lakers was built around salary cap management, a familiar kind of front-office calculus that often looks tidy in June and gets judged much later. In the deal, New York sent out its 2026 first-round pick and Cameron Carr, the 24th overall pick out of Baylor, after Carr had backed up his stock with a strong college season and a productive Summer League showing.
Carr now lands in a Lakers situation where opportunity is never guaranteed, even for a first-round pick. One anonymous Lakers executive suggested the rookie will have to earn his minutes, but the larger question for the Knicks is whether this was the kind of asset dump that becomes harder to defend if Carr keeps building on the momentum he created this spring and summer. [Read more 🡒]