Karl-Anthony Towns is truly unlikely to get the most he could earn on his next New York Knicks contract.
SNY's Ian Begley has supported the recent reporting by James Edwards III of The Athletic, claiming that the reigning NBA champions will not offer the star center a max extension.
Nevertheless, the longtime Knicks insider still believes that both sides will ultimately reach a deal.
"My buddy James Edwards III wrote recently in The Athetic that he doesn’t expect the Knicks to offer Towns a max extension. Towns is a forever Knick; his play in New York’s championship season will be celebrated for as long as the franchise exists. But I agree with Edwards on this: I don’t think the Knicks will offer Towns a max in extension talks," Begley wrote in his report.
"Also, if I had to take a guess, the two sides will reach an agreement. Towns clearly loves New York. Maybe he can make more money with another team next summer (Towns has a $57 million salary this season and his contract has a $61 million player option for 2027-28)."
Karl-Anthony Towns' current contract and past season play
Karl-Anthony Towns is eligible to sign a massive contract extension this offseason with the New York Knicks, where he can land up to four years and $272 million.
He is currently playing under a four-year, $220.4 million supermax extension. The star big man will earn $57.1 million for the upcoming 2026-27 season, followed by a $61 million player option for 2027-28.
Upon his arrival in 2025, Towns proved himself a formidable co-star of Jalen Brunson in the Knicks. After struggling early in the past NBA season, he bounced back and averaged 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game while shooting an efficient 50.4% from the field and 41.2% from the three-point range across 74 appearances.
His playmaking talent and defense as a big man anchored the Knicks' historic run to the 2026 NBA title.
Rudy Gobert Timberwolves extension proposed as possible Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks upcoming contract
Ian Begley sees Rudy Gobert's three-year, $110 million contract extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves last 2024 as a possible example that Towns and the Knicks could agree on.
"If I’m using the recent Rudy Gobert extension as a baseline, I could see an extension for Towns starting around $45 million. By signing this kind of deal, Towns would obviously lose the opportunity to make more money as a 2027 free agent. But given all of the factors at play (the state of NBA economics, teams’ approach to the second apron, the Knicks’ title), there are reasons for Towns to play it safe and sign an extension," Begley wrote.
As the Knicks are steadfast in maintaining their title core and flexibility, Towns' contract extension offers them a massive situation from a long-term standpoint.