The New York Knicks may be NBA champions this year, but how much are they willing to pay to keep everyone together? Between Jalen Brunson, O.G. Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart, the Knicks’ core is one of the most expensive in the league, and it raises serious questions about their long-term future.
Out of anyone on the Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns is in the worst position right now, with just two years and $118 million left on his deal. Despite being eligible for an extension since last summer, no formal offer has yet come from the Knicks. Now, according to Vince Goodwill, Towns feels disappointed, but he still fully expects to reach an agreement before next season.
“Go back to during the season when Karl-Anthony Towns wanted an extension from the Knicks,” Goodwill said on NBA Today. “The Knicks did not offer him one. He was disappointed, but he says he wants to be a Knick for life. He said, ‘These are the things that handle themselves in the offseason as long as I handle myself on the floor. The Knicks won the championship. Karl-Anthony Towns was a hub. He’s expecting some resolution to that soon.”
Coming off the 2025-26 season, where he averaged 20.1 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game on 50.1% shooting, Towns has every right to demand a max contract this summer. He played a crucial role in their historic title run, and his skills aren’t easily replaceable as a versatile scoring big man who can put the ball on the floor and apply pressure under the rim. Alongside Jalen Brunson, he’s been a perfect fit, and the fans have grown to appreciate his chemistry with the team.
Under the NBA’s new CBA, however, teams have to be extra careful with their finances. In today’s game, overpaying for players can be deadly for team building, and the Knicks have already taken measures to cut their payroll by replacing Mitchell Robinson with Andre Drummond. If they take similar measures with Towns, who is arguably their second-best player, it could close their championship window for good (depending on what they get in return).
One positive sign for the Knicks is that Towns has expressed a willingness to sacrifice some of his own earnings to stay in New York. If he’s really open to a pay cut, it will make it that much easier for the Knicks to keep him around, but there’s no guarantee. If the right trade comes along, or Towns underperforms, it could be all the justification New York needs to part ways with the six-time All-Star.
For now, Towns is determined to stay right where he’s at, even if it might cost him millions. After nine years of up-and-down play in Minnesota, he’s found his NBA home, and it’s where he wants to spend the rest of his career. But before the Knicks commit to giving him the max, they need to establish where he fits in their long-term vision. Fortunately, at 30, KAT is only just in his prime, and he should still have plenty more years ahead as one of the NBA’s best scoring big men.
