The New York Knicks finally climbed to the top of the basketball world in 2026, ending a 53-year championship drought and delivering the franchise’s first title since 1973. Now comes the difficult part.
Keeping the championship core together. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the biggest question facing the Knicks this offseason is not whether Karl-Anthony Towns will return next season. It is whether he is willing to sacrifice some money to help New York remain a title contender for years to come.
“In all honesty, that’s the biggest question of the Knicks’ offseason. Karl-Anthony Towns is under contract for next season. He’ll be back. He’ll be the starting center. He’ll be there on ring night. But the question is, can Karl-Anthony Towns stick with this team long term? The way he was used in this postseason, it’s hard not to see him being with this team for the majority of the rest of his career.”
“But he is in position to get a contract extension that could approach $70 million per year on average. And he has earned it. He has shown that he is an elite center in this league and a championship-caliber player. But the Knicks are not going to be able to afford that type of contract and keep the team together easily.”
“Jalen Brunson took less. I don’t expect anybody in NBA history to do what Jalen Brunson did. Mikal Bridges also took a little less than he could have last year. If Karl-Anthony Towns is willing to take a bit of a haircut, maybe $7 million to $10 million less over the course of multiple seasons, it changes things.”
“Josh Hart is also extension eligible this summer. If both of them are willing to take a little less, you can see this core staying together for three, four, maybe five years. If Karl-Anthony Towns wants his full max extension, which again, he has earned, it’s going to be difficult to keep this roster together after next season. Karl-Anthony Towns’ value is never going to be higher than it is right now.”
Towns is already under contract for next season and is expected to remain the Knicks’ starting center. After the postseason he just had, there is little doubt that New York views him as a foundational piece moving forward.
The problem is his next contract. Towns becomes eligible on July 6 to sign a massive four-year extension worth up to $272 million. That deal would approach $70 million annually and would make him one of the highest-paid players in NBA history.
And honestly, he has earned it. Towns played a critical role in New York’s championship run. He proved he could be the offensive centerpiece when needed, stretch the floor, dominate inside, and contribute defensively against elite competition.
But as Windhorst pointed out, paying Towns every dollar available could make it extremely difficult for the Knicks to keep their roster together long term.
Another factor working against the Knicks is owner James Dolan’s stance on the NBA’s punitive second apron rules. Dolan recently referred to living in the second apron as ‘suicidal’ and made it clear he has no interest in operating there long term.
That means New York has a financial ceiling, even after winning the championship. The Knicks are already among the favorites to repeat next season, but keeping a title roster together under the new CBA will require difficult financial decisions.”
That is where Jalen Brunson enters the conversation. Last summer, Brunson shocked the basketball world by taking a historic pay cut. Instead of waiting for unrestricted free agency and potentially securing a five-year, $269 million contract, he signed a four-year extension worth $156.5 million.
The move cost him roughly $113 million in guaranteed money. That sacrifice helped create the financial flexibility needed to build a championship roster around him. Mikal Bridges also took less than the maximum available amount when he signed his extension.
Now the Knicks are hoping Towns may be willing to follow a similar path. Windhorst suggested that even a reduction of roughly $7 million to $10 million per season could dramatically alter New York’s financial outlook.
Josh Hart is another important piece of the puzzle. Hart becomes eligible on August 10 to sign a four-year veteran extension worth up to $114.5 million. According to Windhorst, if both Towns and Hart accept slightly less than their maximum values, the Knicks could realistically keep this championship core together for another three, four, or even five years.
That would be a massive development for a franchise that suddenly looks positioned to become the NBA’s next powerhouse. The roster is already loaded with talent. Brunson is the reigning Finals MVP. Towns is playing the best basketball of his career. OG Anunoby remains under contract after signing a five-year, $212.5 million deal. Bridges is locked in as one of the league’s premier two-way wings.
Most championship teams never get a chance to keep their entire core together. The Knicks might.
Of course, asking players to leave money on the table is never easy. Brunson’s decision was historic precisely because almost nobody does it. Towns would be fully justified in demanding every dollar of his extension.
As Windhorst noted, his value may never be higher than it is right now. But if Towns and Hart are willing to make smaller sacrifices similar to what Brunson already did, the Knicks could avoid difficult roster decisions and remain legitimate championship contenders throughout the remainder of the decade.
For New York, that possibility may be worth far more than any single contract.
