The Knicks enter the new NBA season with the kind of status New York fans haven’t had in more than 50 years, and Karl-Anthony Towns is a huge reason why. He was a major force in last season’s playoff run, the kind of big man who could tilt a series with his scoring, rebounding, passing, and shot-making.
During that postseason stretch, the six-time All-Star averaged 15.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game while shooting 55.1% from the field and 45.6% from 3-point range. He gave opponents problems all postseason and was a key part of the Knicks’ championship push.
But as the new season approaches, the bigger story in New York is whether Towns will still be wearing Knicks colors much longer.
“Towns is eligible for a contract worth up to $276 million over four years. The Knicks want to pay him less, much less, enough so that The Athletic's James Edwards reported last week the two sides were 'far enough apart now, per multiple sources, that this could linger into the regular season,'" wrote Fred Katz of The Athletic.
Towns has repeatedly said he wants to remain in New York, and he’s even open to taking less money. At the same time, there has been reporting that he views the Knicks’ discounted offer as “unreasonable.”
That leaves the team in a tense spot with one of its best players. The Knicks are trying to protect themselves from steep league tax penalties while keeping the core that brought them a title together, a balancing act plenty of contenders know all too well.
Towns is eligible for a max deal that would pay him about $69 million per year, which would make him the highest-paid player in the NBA. He’s already locked in for $57.1 million this season, but he also has a $61.1 million player option for 2027-28. If the sides can’t bridge the gap soon, Towns could hit free agency after this season.
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