The New York Knicks have stopped extension talks for now. A team spokesman said on Friday, October 9, that “we will not be negotiating contract extensions until later in the season,” according to the Associated Press.
The pause covers Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart and Miles McBride, according to the AP. The statement gave no date for talks to resume.
Where the contracts stand
Towns is eligible for a four-year extension worth up to $276 million, per the AP. He is due $57 million this season and holds a $61.1 million player option for 2027-28. Before the pause, the New York Post and ESPN reported the Knicks had offered about $200 million over four years, which we covered here.
Hart is due $21 million this season, and the Knicks hold a $22.4 million option on him for 2027-28, the AP reports. McBride is a key reserve whose talks have also not gone far, according to the AP.
Towns’ option date has passed
NBC Sports’ Kurt Helin wrote on October 13 that the deadline for Towns to decide on his option was October 19, and that declining it could make him a free agent. That date was Monday. As of Tuesday morning, no major outlet had reported that Towns declined the option or that an extension was signed.
Hart said at training camp that if the situations are not resolved by February, it could become “a different conversation,” the AP reports. The AP also notes that owner James Dolan has said the team will avoid spending enough to trigger second-apron penalties.
What comes next
The Knicks won their first title since 1973 in June and open the defense of it against the 76ers on Tuesday, October 20, at 7 p.m. ET, according to the NBA’s key dates. With no deal reported, Towns, Hart and McBride all start the season on their current contracts.
