The Knicks’ preseason has already put a bright light on one of the biggest questions hanging over the franchise: how far will James Dolan let this thing go?
New York has built around a core that looks good on paper and even better when you start listing the pieces one by one. Karl-Anthony Towns is the cleanest fit alongside Jalen Brunson, a big who can help create shots while still producing like a fringe All-Star. In the 2025-26 NBA season, Towns averaged 20.1 points on 50.1% shooting, along with about 11.8 rebounds and three assists.
Josh Hart is just as important in a different way. He’s the connective tissue, the energy source, the player who makes the whole operation feel alive. During the 2026 NBA championship run, Hart put up about 12 points per game on 50.8% shooting, while adding 4.8 assists and 7.4 rebounds.
And yet both players are still waiting on their contract situations to be resolved, with the Knicks keeping an eye on the second apron and Dolan’s reported reluctance to get too close to it. That hesitation has already shaped the roster once, with backup center Mitchell Robinson leaving in the offseason, and it’s now at the center of the uncertainty around Towns and Hart.
As ESPN’s Ben Golliver put it: "Knicks owner James Dolan has taken an unsentimental approach to those harsh realities: His desire to avoid the second apron led to backup center Mitchell Robinson's offseason departure, and the Knicks' recent statement that they have paused negotiation talks with Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart wasn't exactly welcome news,"
The money at stake is massive. Towns is eligible for a four-year max extension worth $69 million annually, which would total about $276 million.
His decision deadline is October 19, 2026. Hart is eligible for a four-year deal worth about $132 million.
Golliver didn’t stop there, either: "If New York follows recent precedent and falters in its title defense, Dolan has set himself up to be viewed as the billionaire bogeyman who let money ruin his organization's rare moment in the sun,"
For now, the Knicks and their front office have put the talks on hold and want attention fixed on the upcoming season. But the uneasiness is already there, and if things start to slip, it won’t take long for fans to point to where the chain reaction began.
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Knicks Still Have One Roster Decision That Could Get Expensive
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For New York, the question now is less about bodies than about balance, with roster spots and salary cap considerations both part of the calculation. The Knicks have already cleared out three camp options, but the last choice on the board could carry more cost than the others, which is why the front office still has one decision left to make before the group is finalized. [Read more 🡒]
Andre Drummond May Be More Important To The Knicks Than Expected
Andre Drummonds first preseason turn in a Knicks uniform offered a quick glimpse of why Mike Brown sounds intrigued by what the veteran big man could bring. In 12 minutes against Minnesota, Drummond chipped in four points, four rebounds, three blocks and a steal, but Brown was just as focused on the communication and defensive presence he brought to the floor.
For a second unit that still needs to sharpen its overall defense, that sort of stabilizing voice could matter more than the box score suggests. Brown views Drummond as a possible organizer on that end, and the real question now is how clearly that role gets defined once the games start counting and how quickly his impact shows up in the regular season. [Read more 🡒]
Knicks Can't Ignore What Losing Karl-Anthony Towns Would Mean
Cedric Maxwell has made it clear he thinks the Knicks should lock in Karl-Anthony Towns, and he believes the big man will still be in New York after the trade deadline. For a team trying to build something serious, Towns has become part of the conversation not just as a star presence, but as one of the key pieces in any realistic path to a championship.
Maxwell also pointed to the financial side of the equation, which is where the issue gets trickier for the Knicks under NBA salary restrictions. If Towns ever did become available, replacing his production and impact would not be simple, and that is the part New York cannot afford to overlook as it weighs its long-term options. [Read more 🡒]