Karl-Anthony Towns wants his Knicks extension done before the season. Josh Hart is still waiting on his

Karl-Anthony Towns wants a new contract with the New York Knicks before their title defense starts, and admitted on Monday that going into the season without one would not be comfortable. At media day, five days after ESPN reported that his extension talks had stalled, Towns said his position was already clear.

"I've made it known that I want to play here. I'd like to get it done," he said, according to NBA.com.

Asked whether he was comfortable letting the negotiations run into the regular season, he was blunter.

I think in this situation, there's no comfortability to be had.

Karl-Anthony Towns, at Knicks media day

Towns also said, according to ESPN, that he trusts team president Leon Rose with the business side, just as Rose trusts him with what happens on the court.

Where the talks stand

The stall is ESPN's reporting, not an announcement from either side. Shams Charania and Vincent Goodwill reported on September 23 that the talks had stagnated and that a deal before training camp was considered unlikely, while Charania described the discussions as cordial. Monday brought no sign of movement. The Associated Press reported that neither Towns nor Josh Hart, who is also eligible for an extension, gave any indication of progress.

Towns earns $57.1 million this season and holds a player option worth about $61 million for 2027-28, according to Spotrac. His maximum extension is projected at about $276 million over four years, according to ESPN. SNY's Ian Begley has reported that the Knicks have discussed deals starting at $45 million to $50 million a year, and owner James Dolan has said the team will not go into the second apron.

Nothing forces a decision this fall. The October 19 deadline applies only to rookie-scale extensions. A veteran extension for Towns can still be signed during the season, as long as it replaces the 2027 option, and he has until June 29, 2027 to decide whether to pick that option up.

Hart and McBride are waiting too

Hart earns $20.9 million this season, and the Knicks hold a $22.4 million team option on him for 2027-28, according to Spotrac. He said he wants to stay, but that uncertainty can wear on players. The trade deadline is February 11, and Hart said "if some of these things aren't figured out by February, it might be a different conversation," the AP reported.

Deuce McBride is in the last season of a three-year, $13 million deal that pays him just under $4 million this season. In an interview with the New York Daily News published on Saturday, two days before media day, he said he was a little disappointed that no extension had been agreed.

All three were part of the team that ended a 53-year wait in June, beating the San Antonio Spurs in five games in the Finals. Towns averaged 15.9 points, 10.6 rebounds and 4.9 assists in the playoffs. One piece is already gone: Mitchell Robinson signed with the Boston Celtics, and Towns said on Monday that the departure surprised him.

What comes next

Training camp opened on Tuesday. The Knicks raise their championship banner on opening night, October 20, against the Philadelphia 76ers. Without a deal by then, Towns will start the season on his current contract.