May 25, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts during the fourth quarter against the Indiana Pacers during game three of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Knicks Not Discussing Extension With Star

Originally posted on New York Knicks on SI
By Geoff Magliocchetti | Last updated Aug 6, 2025 2:02 PM ET

The New York Knicks have been handing generous extensions out over the last two seasons but the buck(s) apparently stops here, for now.

New York's busy offseason was a topic on the latest episode of ESPN's "Hoop Collective" podcast, which discussed the new extension earned by Mikal Bridges. The exported Brooklynite is the latest Manhattan dweller to land a new payday over the last two offseasons, joining fellow starters like fellow starters OG Anunoby, Jalen Brunson, and Josh Hart.

One of the newest Knicks stars, Karl-Anthony Towns, is perhaps next in line to gain an extension, but insiders Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst say that no such talks have been held as the team prepares for the 2025-26 season. The duo, however, assured New Yorkers that it says more about the status of Towns' current contract than it does the Knicks' thoughts on him — though both sides didn't fully rule out the idea of including Towns in a high-profile trade.

“We have not heard anything about Karl-Anthony Towns getting extended," Windhorst said. "I don't think it's a commentary on Towns or the season he had. I just think that Towns has three years and about 160 million left on his contract. Actually, I think it's more than that, I think it's $170 [million], and there would be some challenge to trade that.”

“I don't think there's been real discussions of [an extension] one way or the other this summer, which I wouldn't take it as any sort of a negative thing,” Bontemps added. “I think it's much more likely, rather than the Devin Booker route, it's more likely the Rudy Gobert route.”

Karl-Anthony Towns Brad Penner-Imagn Images

To Bontemps' point, Gobert was traded from Utah to the Minnesota Timberwolves while in the midst of five-year, $205 million contract. Paying Gobert — as well as the nine-figure extension he gained later — partly caused the Timberwolves to trade Towns to the Knicks. Booker, on the other hand, signed a two-year, $133 million extension with his longtime employers in Phoenix earlier this summer.

As it stands, Towns is secure in New York through 2027, when a $61 million player option looms. He averaged 24.4 points and a career-best 12.8 rebounds in his debut Knicks season, which yielded his first start in the NBA All-Star Game.

This article first appeared on New York Knicks on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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