New York Knicks owner James Dolan reportedly became displeased with Karl-Anthony Towns' recent public rant regarding his extension situation, which prompted the franchise to pause entertaining potential new deals until later in the 2026-27 season.
ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks dropped the intriguing revelation on NBA Today.
"Well, I think what happened was Monday. I think when we saw Karl-Anthony Towns go public with his dissatisfaction that there was a lack of extension here, I think that irked James Dolan. I think they're basically saying they don't want this to become a distraction moving forward," Marks said.
"It doesn't become a distraction if you're able to reach a contract agreement before the start of the season in about 10 days."
Play
Knicks pause Karl-Anthony Towns extension along with Josh Hart, others
The New York Knicks have officially put contract extension talks with Karl-Anthony Towns on hold.
On Friday, the franchise issued a rare public statement confirming that negotiations would be postponed until later in the upcoming 2026-27 season.
Beyond Towns, Josh Hart, Miles McBride, and Tyler Kolek are also extension-eligible in New York.
Towns infamously dropped public comments earlier this week and expressed his frustration with the Knicks over the lack of progress in his extension status.
Per reports, Towns is open to taking a pay cut, but is hesitant to accept the Knicks' $200 million offer. After helping the franchise win the 2026 NBA title, the center at least wants to get the proper market value he deserves.
The star big man is eligible for a four-year contract extension worth over $276 million with New York. He will earn $57 million this upcoming season, with a $61.1 million 2027-28 player option.
The final deadline for the Knicks to reach extension agreements with all four players is June 30.