As Karl-Anthony Towns extension watch rolls onward, the New York Knicks can be absolutely, positively certain that he’s not signing anything until after August 11.
With the NBA confirming that the 2027 trade deadline will be on February 11, next Tuesday marks the final day KAT can put pen to paper on a new deal, and still get dealt in-season. Veterans in his position cannot be flipped for six months after they sign an extension. Though exceptions to the premise exist, Towns is earning so much money that none of them truly apply to him.
None of this diminishes the chances that New York strikes a deal with its big man. Other obstacles loom larger. And we’ll get to them in a second. But this August 11 cutoff might explain why we’ve heard so little about a Towns extension since the Knicks hoisted their first NBA Finals trophy in 53 years.
It doesn’t matter that the Knicks aren’t trying to trade Karl-Anthony Towns
Everybody is encouraged to roll their eyes when reading about Towns’ trade eligibility. While New York has historically moved incumbent players who don’t sign an extension, in this case, it’s more likely to travel down the less-beaten path if push comes to shove.
KAT was no worse than the third most important player on a title team. Failing an out-of-nowhere trade demand, the Knicks won’t jettison him just because he’s scheduled to hit free agency next summer (player option).
To that end, they certainly aren’t going to push for him to sign a new contract just so they have the option of moving him before the 2027 offseason. This cuts to why Towns has no incentive to sign an extension right now.
Unlike Mikal Bridges last summer, who signed a new deal that allowed him to be traded in-season, KAT has serious leverage. Not only are the Knicks working off a title, but he’s a generational offensive talent at his position. New York needs him more than it does Bridges.
If you’re Towns, then, you might as well wait to sign an extension because you can. Even if he trusts the Knicks to keep him in place no matter when he agrees to a deal, waiting until after August 11 strips every iota of uncertainty from the equation.
Trade eligibility won’t be why KAT doesn’t sign an extension
In the event New York and Towns don’t reach an agreement, it will have nothing to do with the timing of a prospective deal. Price is the primary roadblock.
Tons of people are counting on Towns to accept well south of his max extension (four years, $272.8 million) to help keep the band together past 2026-27. And also because Jalen Brunson already did the same.
Given owner James Dolan’s aversion to entering the second apron, keeping Towns for less than his max isn’t just the Knicks’ hope. It might be their line in the concrete.
Even if he’s willing to take what he considers a discount, there’s no guarantee New York is on the same page. If there’s anything that derails Karl-Anthony Towns Extension watch, it’ll be that part of the negotiation.
Of course, we can’t be sure that’ll be an issue. But we can be stone-cold certain that extension or not, nothing with Towns is getting done until after August 11.
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