The New York Knicks have an inevitable Karl-Anthony Towns problem on their hands, as the big man will likely want a new contract extension this summer, as he has a player option for the 2027-28 campaign. But that incoming issue is distracting from the real problem brewing in New York, which is that the Knicks will have to pay OG Anunoby, Jalen Brunson, and Josh Hart the following year.
Extending Towns could hurt. It could cost the Knicks a lot of money, and they may have to sell off some depth to make it happen. But it’s well within the realm of possibilities, even while staying under the second apron. Bringing back Brunson, Anunoby, and Hart, on the other hand? That’s going to be borderline impossible.
If New York hopes to stay below the second apron – which seems to be the case – then it may have to let one of those three guys walk in about a year from now.
Karl-Anthony Towns is just a precursor to the real Knicks problem
Towns is going to want a max extension. At least, he deserves one. Perhaps he’ll take a pay cut as Brunson did, but it seems more likely that Towns will ask the Knicks to hand him a max deal. And they should give him one.
That, in and of itself, is not an issue. Towns deserves a max, and they can build a solid roster with him on a max. But it sets them up for some brutal decisions the following year.
Hart has a team option in the 2027-28 season, which the Knicks will almost definitely pick up. Brunson and Anunoby have player options in 2028-29, which they will likely decline in search of their next extensions.
At that point, especially if Towns is already on a new max contract, the Knicks are going to have to decide who they want to pay and who they want to let walk.
Brunson is going to want a max. Anunoby is going to want close to it. Hart is going to want a big-time payday. Giving them all the money they want while also staying under the second apron may literally be impossible.
So, in a vacuum, the Towns extension isn’t a problem. However, we don’t live in a vacuum. And it’s unfortunately not the actual root of the issue brewing in New York.
The looming Towns contract is merely distracting from the brutal reality that at least one of Brunson, Anunoby, or Hart will likely have to be traded in the next two years.
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