Big man Karl-Anthony Towns recently made it very clear he hopes to keep playing for the Knicks for the foreseeable future, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post.
“Hell yeah, hell yeah. I want to stay here,” Towns said. “Obviously get a chance to be home, see my family. It means more than the money, you know. So just to be able to be here with the fans, be with the family. It means a lot. I would like it to continue.”
As Bondy writes, Towns was eligible for a two-year extension before the season began, but there was “no traction” on a new deal. The five-time All-Star is under contract through at least 2026/27, with a $61MM player option for ’27/28, so there wasn’t much urgency to extend Towns from New York’s perspective.
That may change next summer, however, since Towns will again be extension-eligible and could be a free agent in 2027 if he declines that option. The 30-year-old forward/center says he has a strong relationship with the team’s front office, Bondy adds.
“Me, (team president Leon Rose) and (Senior VP of basketball operations Gersson Rosas) and everyone, we’re great,” Towns said. “I’ll go have lunch with them right now. We’re good.”
Here’s more from around the Atlantic Division:
- After missing two games with lower back tightness, Nets forward Michael Porter Jr. returned to action on Monday and produced one of his best games of the season, finishing with 35 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals in 36 minutes during the victory over Charlotte, notes C.J. Holmes of The New York Daily News. As Lucas Kaplan of NetDaily.com writes, Porter has thrived in head coach Jordi Fernandez‘s offensive system, putting up career-best statistics as Brooklyn’s top scoring option. “Well, I think Jordi — he’s a genius of a coach,” Porter said. “You know, we’re a young team, we’re going to keep growing, but he’s a genius in terms of the schemes that he puts out, especially offensively for me. The way teams are guarding me, really just face-guarding me and trying not to let me catch the ball, the different creative ways that Jordi has our team running plays to help me get touches and get looks off is really next level. He’s making it so easy for me to play my game. So I really have to thank just Jordi and the offensive coaching staff for how I’ve been able to produce.”
- Nets guard Cam Thomas, who is three-plus weeks removed from straining his left hamstring, will undergo an MRI in the next few days to determine how the injury is healing, as Brian Lewis of The New York Post relays. “He’s getting an MRI at the end of the week, and then when we get the reads [on it], then we’ll give you guys an update. We’ll let you know when that happens,” Fernandez said. Thomas was limited to just 25 games last season after straining the same hamstring multiple times.
- Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett have improved multiple aspects of their games since they were traded from the Knicks to the Raptors nearly two years ago, writes Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News. Both players have gotten stronger and are in better shape, and Toronto head coach Darko Rajakovic also pointed to specific basketball improvements. “Immanuel improved his defense on the ball dramatically. He’s one of the best defensive players that we have now on the ball. Also very disruptive with his hands,” Rajakovic said. “RJ’s shot selection is a little bit different. He’s getting much more to the rim, he’s doing catch-and-shoot 3s, he’s scoring more off cuts. Those two guys — they’re investing a lot in their individual and personal development and that’s affecting our whole team.”
- Barrett, who is currently out with a knee sprain, still isn’t doing on-court work yet but his knee is getting better and the Raptors forward is considered day-to-day, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN.ca.
The Knicks went from overpaying aging superstars to overpaying mediocre players. They don’t draft well and don’t develop players—Mitchell Robinson’s their most coveted draft pick, and they expect him to play like a top lotto pick. Spike Lee deserves better.
Thibs made Mitch. He was totally a raw 7’ footer when drafted ……. Knicks only had late picks and 2nd rd pucks under Thibs. After Mitch yet drafted .
Quickley, McBride, Obi1, Grimes, Diadet, Kolek, Hukporti, Diawara ……. Do you watch basketball??
You literally made my point
They’ve developed every player under Thibs. Grimes a 2nd rd pick about to get paid. Their success rate for late picks.. Is one of best around.
You have no point. A true genius. I doubt you watch the Knicks. How did they sign three of best players at their position. Towns, OG, Bridges. By luck ……. The 7th planet is calling you back. You have given away its position with your vast knowledge of air !!!!!!!!
noname617:
They drafted Quentin Grimes, Immanuel Quickley, and RJ Barrett. And used those players in trades. Otherwise, they’re picking near the end of the first round or didn’t have first round picks. So I’m not sure what you’re talking about with the drafting.
@Miken31 those are role players, never made an all star game or olympic team.. keep drinking milk
noname617:
Please stop embarrassing yourself. Making an All-Star game is not the only standard of being a good player. Go take a look at those players numbers and some of the contracts they’ve earned. Don’t be so glib.
Bridges finally gas a big scoring gm. But Brunson and Bench don’t show up. Too much JB. Towns still makes dumb mistakes. And Brown doesn’t know McBride is a PG. Yabusele????
McBride is not a point guard he can not play make. 2nd Kolek as I said is a 3rd string guard. Clarkson to washed and only good for 10-14 minutes a night. He will often be a negative having some good games here or there. Hardly what you want is your sixth man on this team. Yabusele is who we thought he was a 3rd string NBA player that had a good 6 months in his prime and the Knicks swong and missed.
Towns is a all star but not a superstar who needs to make 50-60 million. Too much of the cap. Bridges they gave up wayyyy too much. He is a really good player but will never live up to the hype of what they sold to get him. Not his fault Knicks tried to play buddy/relationship ball and screw the hole future up not being patient. They could have giannis right now but that will never happen unless it’s his last year and Milwaukee has no other really great offers. However, when he does arrive to the Knicks they will have to give up so much. That’ll basically be like playing for Milwaukee except he will have Bronson. I don’t see a championship with this team. No bench no money and there two top trade asset are Mitch and McBride. McBride doesn’t make enough to get anything in return. Mitch not sure trading him helps he on makes 15.
Brunson was 6/21. He was 2-3 from FT when avg over 6 a gm. The bench scored 10 points. And no OG no Landry. And Knicks made some dumb mistakes. You give Celtics credit. They won by 6 pts. If the bench scores 4 more pts. And Brunson scores 2 more baskets. 8/21 instead of 6/21.
Knicks win and you never come here.
Towns had 29 n 8 was a +7. And he should have been better. It took 40 from JB for them to win.
And you got answers after 20 gms.. yeahhhOK
NYK should hold off on KAT extension, unless it comes at a substantial discount, and even then I’d be cautious. Nothing to do with KAT’s current offensive slump. I think that will right itself once he adjusts to Brown’s offense or Brown adjusts it to him. The problem is that KAT, at his best, is a 1-way player, and his presence on this roster sort of locks the roster into its current configuration (too small and hopelessly shy of rim protectors), and the team into its current identity (finesse, looking to outscore teams). IMO, those are not championship attributes. But Brown seems OK with it, or oblivious to it (take your pick). Thus, since there are few alternatives at this point, maybe give the current damn the defense approach a go. Painful for me to watch a team that doesn’t defend, but others seem good with it. The 40 point quarters can be impressive (at least the ones where its the NYK scoring the 40). In any event, whatever this roster can do (positively), it will do this year. No need to double down now.
Towns should have been posting all game. They can’t handle him there. And when they doubled. He should have found open man. Instead of forcing it. Towns still does 3-4 dumb things a game. Instead of playing to win. At times he still plays to emotion and makes a mistakes. Needs to think the game better.
He’s a WIP in this offense. He has every physical skill needed, including plus passing skills. Scheme is new to him. He’s not selfish, but he’s mentally lazy. Near as I can tell, he’s never before been in an offense where it was this important to suppress his shot forcing tendencies. Brown is pretty laissez-faire on these things, but I think the staff needs to be proactive with him.
$60 mil offensive end. $0 defensive end. If you just watch Kat on the defensive end it can be quite comical. That Boston 12-0 run to close out the third. Kat was fire defensively, guarding air, boxing out nobody. Even running away from the primary ball handler in transition. None of this is even mentioning his effort levels which instantly makes Kat even worse on that end. Kat defensively = dumb, lazy and soft.