NBA exec identifies possible Karl-Anthony Towns destinations

In classic New York Knicks fashion, conversations about the team ahead of their first title defense in 53 years center on the floor.

Karl-Anthony Towns, eligible for an extension, is dominating headlines after the team announced all contract conversations would be halted to start the season.

The six-time All-Star has until Oct.19 to pick up his $61-million player option. Doing so would keep extension conversations open, and declining would set him up as one of the top free agents available next summer.

Stefan Bondy of the New York Post spoke with some anonymous NBA executives across the league who provided insight into the contractual impasse.

Amongst the nuggets of intel was one executive providing potential suitors for Towns, should he and the Knicks never come to an agreement:

“Only a few possible suitors stand out to me right now in terms of cap space teams and fit,” the executive told Bondy. “Chicago and the Clippers have the cleanest path. The Nets can get there with the money, but that’s not a good fit. Golden State and Dallas could get around $50 million in space with more tinkering.”

The common denominator of all five teams mentioned is their lack of a franchise center. Pair that with cap space, and you’ve got fewer teams that are interested, and more so, teams that could, would, and should be interested.

Would they pay more than the Knicks are offering? One executive expressed pessimism to that end when talking with Bondy, leading him to say the threat of free agency “shouldn’t be so daunting to the Knicks.”