By prematurely tabling extension talks with Karl-Anthony Towns in an attempt to eliminate distractions during their title defense, the New York Knicks are actually creating another sideshow: speculation about where the big man could sign if he declines his $61 million player option and enters free agency next summer.
Even though the seven-footer will be heading for his age-32 season this time next year, he’ll have zero trouble finding suitors. Stars are seldom poachable in free agency these days, and the big-man market, in particular, has dried up.
With the Knicks holding firm at $45 million to $50 million per year, the door swings open for other squads to get involved. Towns’ max from a suitor outside New York projects to be $276 million over four years. That makes the Knicks’ current best offers easily beatable even at below-max numbers.
And with that in mind, here are three teams that can not only dangle just that, but should appeal to KAT.
Golden State Warriors
Signing Stephen Curry to a two-year, $115.9 million extension has not taken the Warriors out of the cap-space game. They have a ton of expiring money coming off their books—including deals for Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green—and can cruise to around $50-plus million in space with minimal bookkeeping.
This flexibility skyrockets if the Dubs can find a taker for Moses Moody’s salary, or Al Horford’s player option. Coming in with an offer that averages $60 million a year would be relatively no sweat.
Golden State, of course, is no longer a contender. That potentially changes with a core base of KAT, Steph, Yaxel Lendeborg, moves on the margins, and plenty of draft picks to trade.
Los Angeles Clippers
Go ahead and laugh at the Clippers’ inclusion if you please. The NBA kneecapped their future assets by stripping them of five first-round picks.
Yet, while that makes them less appealing, it also renders them more dangerous. They have little to lose, and will view aggressive free-agency swings as the vehicle through which they build around Keaton Wagler and, potentially, Darius Garland.
Frankly, if there is a team willing to throw four years and $276 million Towns’ way, the Clippers are it. They fall shy of max cap space assuming Brandon Ingram picks up his player option, but have a fairly straightforward path to $55 million in room should they choose to travel down it. That’s close enough to dump other salary—perhaps flipping Ingram for a smaller contract—to make up difference,
Brooklyn Nets
The elevator pitch from the Nets is more compelling than people realize. They can roll out of bed with over $70 million in cap space next summer. That number can rise if they move off Julius Randle (player option), or Terance Mann. There are even permutations in which Brooklyn re-signs Michael Porter Jr., and dredges up enough space to hand out a max or near-max.
KAT would not be joining a ready-made contender. But the Nets are extremely well-coached with Jordi Fernandez at the helm, have plenty of draft picks to trade, and boast a pair of tantalizing youngsters in the backcourt thanks to Mikel Brown Jr., and Egor Demin.
Cherry-top this with the fact Brooklyn still needs a cornerstone center and Towns wouldn’t have to move very far, if at all, and you’ve got the makings of a viable threat not even the Knicks should write off.
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