Knicks’ $276M decision just got a lot more uncomfortable

September 24, 2026 · Yahoo Sports

Sam Navarro-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect

The Knicks are about to open camp without an extension for Karl-Anthony Towns, and the latest report sounds less like a deal waiting for a signature than a negotiation that has stopped moving. Shams Charania and Vincent Goodwill report that the sides have talked extensively, but an agreement is unlikely before camp.

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I don’t think New York should rush into a four-year commitment just to keep a championship summer feeling good. But I also wouldn’t pretend this is a routine piece of business. Towns helped deliver the title, and his maximum extension could reach $276 million. A player in that position is going to notice when talks stop.

Towns averaged 15.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists on 55 percent shooting during the 16-3 playoff run. He is due about $57 million this season and has a $61 million player option for 2027-28. The Knicks are not facing an immediate departure; they can keep negotiating during the season.

Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect

Why the Knicks are hesitating

The number is large enough to shape the next few seasons, especially with the club trying to stay below the second apron. Mitchell Robinson left for Boston this summer, and Towns’ extension question has been sitting there since the title celebration. Now there is a more concrete update: recent negotiations have not produced movement.

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That does not make Towns expendable. His passing and scoring at center gave the Knicks options that most teams cannot copy. It does mean the front office has to decide what it is willing to guarantee a 31-year-old big man while other contract decisions approach.

Camp will start with Towns on the roster. He can help this team defend its title without a new deal in hand. The risk for New York is that a season of uncertainty costs more than resolving the question now, or that a rushed agreement makes the next roster decision harder than it needs to be.

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