When it comes to news that hits the airwaves and/or social media in any major sport, one big question that should always come up is this: Why did this come out just now? Sports news is almost always agenda-driven, whether the agenda is from the league, from a broadcaster or advertiser, from the player and his representative or, most commonly, from the team. So when several outlets quite suddenly put out updates on the state of the Karl-Anthony Towns contract extension negotiations with the New York Knicks on Wednesday, that question lingered.
Why would that news come out at this time?
It’s a good question. These things don’t just spontaneously leak at different outlets all at once.
Knicks Contract Talks With Karl-Anthony Towns ‘Stagnated’
In case you missed it, here is what Shams Charania of ESPN had to say about the situation which, again, was reported in other places, too:
“Negotiations on the contract extension between the Knicks and Karl Anthony Towns have stagnated. … There is no doubt, people I talk to right now, this is a cloud going into training camp as the Knicsk try to repeat as champions. Karl-Anthony Towns would be going into the final guaranteed year of his deal–he has a $61 million player option for next offseason. That would mean he has a chance to be a free agent amid eight or so teams with cap space next offseason and multiple of those teams needing a big man.”
Karl-Anthony Towns Contract Could Force a Trade
Around the NBA, few think that the Knicks will actually let Towns go in free agency, or that they will trade him. His value as a big man is just too high. But the reason the Knicks can’t get an agreement with Towns yet is that they need him to take something significantly less than the max this year if they are going to keep the team together in the year ahead.
The Knicks want Towns to give them a discount, and what we saw this week was the groundwork being laid for Towns to take the blame if (and when) the team eventually has to trade a piece to avoid the second apron. It won’t be Towns or Jalen Brunson, but it could be Mikal Bridges or Josh Hart. A longer shot, but if not those two, it could be OG Anunoby.
“That’s what that was about,” one prominent agent told Heavy. “That’s why that got out. If you have to trade a popular guy like Josh, the Knicks want to say, ‘Well, we had to do that because KAT would not take $50 million less than the max,’ or whatever it is. They don’t want to say, ‘We traded this guy because the owner is afraid of the apron. They want to say, ‘We traded this guy and it is Karl-Anthony Towns’ fault.’ They’re just throwing him under the bus in advance.”
Knicks Setting Up a Scapegoat?
Now, again, on the topic of agendas, it should be pointed out that the agent has an agenda, too. All agents and players’ union folks hate the second apron because they feel it’s a tool owners created to keep owners from giving more money to their best players. For owners and teams, like Dolan and the Knicks, it’s a convenient scapegoat for dumping players and pressuring players into reduced-rate contracts.
But the logic is clear. The Knicks can either pay Towns the max and trade someone to avoid the second apron, or twist Towns’ arm into taking a lesser deal. What we saw about the Towns extension chatter this week is the Knicks laying the foundation for a narrative in which paying Towns means losing someone else.
In short, passing the blame to Towns once someone else is traded.
Knicks Contract Leak Signals Karl-Anthony Towns to Get ‘Thrown Under the Bus’