Karl-Anthony Towns isn’t exactly feeling confident about his chances of getting a new contract with the New York Knicks before the 2026-27 season begins.
Asked Monday about the status of extension negotiations, Towns delivered a blunt assessment.
“It don’t look good,” he said when asked whether a deal could be completed before the start of the regular season.
The situation is particularly striking because Towns is coming off the biggest achievement of his career with the Knicks. New York won the 2026 NBA championship, ending a 53-year title drought, with Towns playing a major role alongside Jalen Brunson.
Yet the championship apparently hasn’t made negotiations any easier.
Towns currently has a $61 million player option for next season and is eligible for a four-year extension worth up to $276 million. According to the reported figures supplied in the negotiations, however, the Knicks’ offer is currently in the range of $45 million to $50 million per year — leaving a substantial gap between the sides.
When Towns was asked whether winning the championship should have made his extension a “slam dunk,” he wasn’t exactly subtle.
“No s—, Sherlock,” Towns replied. “I just won a championship. You’d think it was pretty easy. Unless you guys [reporters] think I have something else to prove.”
And Towns says he’s not necessarily demanding every dollar available to him.
The All-Star center has indicated that he is willing to take a financial sacrifice if it helps the Knicks retain the core that delivered their first championship since 1973. But he also wants the final contract to reflect his value and what he and the organization have accomplished.
“Simply put, I want to do something that can keep the team together and work with the Knicks and also values me,” Towns said. “None of those things have come close to happening.”
Towns’ desire to remain in New York is not in question. He has repeatedly said he wants to stay with the Knicks, pointing to his lifelong connection to the franchise and his belief in what the team has built.
“I’ve made it known I want to play here,” Towns said previously. “I’ve been a fan since I was a kid. I’d like to get it done and step on the floor and feel as comfortable as possible.”
That puts the pressure on both sides.
The Knicks want to keep their championship core intact while navigating the league’s restrictive second-apron rules and Brunson’s own max-level contract. Towns, meanwhile, appears willing to compromise — just not at the expense of feeling undervalued.
New York has already waited 53 years for another championship.
Now the franchise has a potentially expensive decision to make if it wants the roster that finally delivered one to stay together.
