ESPN’s Shams Charania and Vincent Goodwill reported On Wednesday, negotiations on the expansion between Nix and star center Karl-Anthony Towns “groaned” and that a deal was unlikely to be reached in the short term.
About the Hoop Collective Podcast (Link to YouTube), ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Tim McMahon said they believe the Knicks and Towns are “tens of millions” apart in extension negotiations.
Towns will earn $57 million this season and will be a $61 million player in the 2027/28 campaign. His maximum extension, which will replace the option, will cost is projected $276 million over four years ($69 million annually).
“(Towns) obviously has … he and his side have a position on what he wants to sign. The Knicks have a position on what they proposed. So these are the parameters. As far as I understand, they are separated by tens of millions. They are not close” said Windhorst (tip to RealGM for the transcript).
“Honestly, I believe they could be in the eight figures on an annual basis” McMahon said.
“I think it’s … you know, and maybe it’s changed since we started this podcast, maybe the offerings have changedWindhorst replied.
“Then again, KAT doesn’t pound on the table and say, “You have to get me.” He is ready to have discussions” McMahon said.
“Oh yes. I believe he is willing to take less than ($276 million).said Windhorst.The question is, what are the Knicks willing to do?»
Here’s more on the Knicks:
- Ian Begley of SNY.tv at one point during the offseason, the Knicks offered Towns an extension that started in the $45-$50 million per year range, league sources said. However, it’s not clear how long the offer was in place, and it clearly didn’t live up to Towns’ expectations.
- In the same story, Begley looks at how Towns’ contract situation could affect the team’s future payroll. Begley also faces an unsigned second-round pick Tyler Nickell to be on the training camp roster and waiting for the former two-way player Kevin McCallar Jr also received an invitation to the camp.
- Excluding cost-cutting trade (Pakome Dadiet looks the most vulnerable, but his contract is negative), the Knicks will likely open the season with 14 players on standard contracts, with James Wiseman, Drew Eubanks, Bruce Brown, John Kanchar and Broken black potentially fighting for 14th place. Stefan Bondi of The New York Post (subscriber link) thinks Wiseman or Eubanks will be the pick if the team keeps just one player from that group, and sees Brown and Kanchar as the strongest wing candidates.