The New York Knicks head into the new NBA season as champions of the basketball world. Knicks fans haven't been able to say that in more than 50 years. But now bragging rights remain in New York, and one of the biggest players responsible for that is Karl-Anthony Towns.
During the Knicks playoff run last season, the six-time All-Star big averaged 15.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.3 steals per game, shooting 55.1% from the field and 45.6% from deep. He was a matchup nightmare throughout the postseason and a crucial component of the Knicks' championship engine. Now there's concern about how much longer that piece will even be in New York.
"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. More news: Damian Lillard Fires Back at Doubters With Strong Ja Morant Message More news: Spurs Star Victor Wembanyama Opens up on Devastating NBA Finals Loss Towns has said multiple times that he wants to stay in New York and is even willing to accept a pay cut.
However, it was also reported recently that he felt the Knicks' heavily discounted offer was "unreasonable." There's clear tension in New York right now between the Knicks and one of their best players, and as a team eyeing to repeat as NBA champions, it's the last thing you want with the 2026-27 season set to tip off in the coming weeks. The Knicks are trying to avoid heavy league tax penalties while keeping their championship core together, something every contender struggles with. Towns, meanwhile, is eligible for a max deal that would give him an annual salary of around $69 million, making him the highest-paid player in the NBA.
He's already set to earn $57.1 million for this upcoming season, which still ranks among the biggest contracts in the league, but he has all the leverage right now to push for the max. He has a $61.1 million player option for the 2027-28 season, so if the two sides can't find some middle ground soon, Towns could become a free agent after this season. More news: Anthony Davis Gives Honest Take on Wizards No. 1 Overall Pick AJ Dybantsa
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