The New York Knicks have suspended contract extension talks with four players, but a new report suggests the defending NBA champions had already made one thing clear behind the scenes: Karl-Anthony Towns was their priority.
According to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, New York had been more focused on securing Towns’ future than negotiating a new deal with Josh Hart before the organization announced Friday that all extension discussions would be postponed until later in the season.
The revelation offers a glimpse into the Knicks’ approach to keeping their championship core together, particularly as owner James Dolan’s insistence on staying below the NBA’s second luxury-tax apron complicates their financial outlook.
Knicks Prioritized Karl-Anthony Towns Over Josh Hart, Insider Reports
In the latest edition of The Stein Line, Stein and Fischer reported that Towns was the only player among New York’s four extension-eligible candidates whose representatives had been seriously engaged in negotiations.
The other three players are Hart, Miles McBride and Tyler Kolek.
Sources told the insiders that the Knicks had specifically prioritized Towns’ contract discussions over Hart’s.
That distinction offers important context to Friday’s announcement.
While the Knicks publicly suspended negotiations with all four players, Stein’s reporting indicates that only one set of talks had progressed to a serious stage.
The differing contract situations help explain New York’s approach.
Hart, 31, is scheduled to earn $20.9 million this season, and the Knicks hold a $22.4 million team option for 2027-28.
That gives New York some control over Hart’s future, although the team would need to decline that option to negotiate an in-season extension after the applicable October deadline.
Towns faces a different situation.
The six-time All-Star will earn approximately $57 million this season and holds a $61 million player option for 2027-28.
He is eligible for a four-year extension worth up to $276 million, but the Knicks’ reported offer was approximately $200 million.
That gap leaves New York with a difficult decision about how much of its financial future to commit to the 30-year-old center.
Josh Hart’s Contract Gives NYK More Flexibility
Hart’s importance to the Knicks extends well beyond his scoring.
His rebounding, defensive versatility and willingness to handle different responsibilities made him a valuable contributor during New York’s championship run.
Still, the structure of his contract gives the organization more flexibility than it has with Towns.
Hart has publicly expressed interest in remaining with the Knicks, but he has also acknowledged that negotiations have made little progress.
The veteran guard is eligible for an extension worth up to $132 million over four years.
Meanwhile, New York must also consider McBride and Kolek’s futures.
Stein and Fischer reported that rival teams increasingly view McBride as a potential trade candidate because of the uncertainty surrounding his contract.
McBride is entering the final season of his three-year, $13 million deal and could attract interest from teams seeking an affordable rotation guard.
For the Knicks, these decisions come with an added financial constraint.
Dolan has publicly committed to keeping the franchise below the second apron, which carries significant roster-building restrictions.
The Knicks already lost longtime center Mitchell Robinson to the Boston Celtics this offseason.
Stein’s reporting suggests New York has established a hierarchy in its extension discussions, even if those negotiations are now on hold.
Towns may be the priority, but that doesn’t mean an agreement is close.
And for Hart, the lack of serious negotiations so far doesn’t necessarily mean the Knicks are ready to move on.
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