The New York Knicks announced that contract discussions will be saved for later as they work on their title defense in 2026-2027.
For a superstar like Karl-Anthony Towns, that could be bad news. In a perfect world, Towns would get his big extension and continue working through his career as a Knick. However, New York’s front office might not be able to keep everybody as the tab gets more expensive.
Naturally, other teams across the league are going to keep an eye on the situation, and the Chicago Bulls and the Los Angeles Clippers have been dubbed as two “standout” possible suitors for Towns in the future.
Knicks Get Word On 2 Possible NBA Threats For Karl-Anthony Towns
Stefan Bondy of the New York Post assessed Towns’ possible upcoming market.
“Only a few possible suitors stand out to me right now in terms of cap space teams and fit. Chicago and the Clippers have the cleanest path,” Bondy wrote.
The Bulls are one of the Eastern Conference’s rebuilding squads, but have some intriguing young talent on board.
While the Bulls aren’t expected to make a playoff bid this season, they are up and coming. As for the Clippers, they’ve regressed. After recently cutting ties with Kawhi Leonard–and dealing with a major punishment from the league–the Clippers aren’t exactly a hot spot at the moment.
Bondy tossed in the Brooklyn Nets, Dallas Mavericks, and the Golden State Warriors as additional potential suitors to keep an eye on, but it seems that the Bulls could be the team with the best money-intrigue combination.
Karl-Anthony Towns’ Current Situation
Since arriving in New York in 2024, Towns has played in 147 games for the Knicks. He was an All-Star in both seasons, posting averages of 22.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists.
Last season, Towns played a big part in the Knicks’ championship run. Now, he’s heading into what could end up being the final season of his contract.
Towns is making $57.07 million in 2026-2027. When the Knicks reach the 2027 offseason, Towns will have a $61.01 million player option on the table. If New York can’t strike an extension before the end of June, there is a strong chance Towns will bet on having a big free agency. That could be good news for the Bulls and several other suitors.