If the Golden State Warriors' front office is already drafting a list of players to pursue next summer (and they should be), Karl-Anthony Towns should be near the top. He could decline his $61 million player option for 2027-28 to reach unrestricted free agency, a scenario the Knicks could avoid by signing him to an extension before then. Based on what the center said Monday, that doesn't seem likely (subscription required).
"It don't look good."
It's not that he doesn't want to sign a long-term deal to stay in New York, as he's made it clear that's his desired outcome.
“Simply put, I want to do something that can keep the team together and work with the Knicks and also values me. None of those things have come close to happening."
This could be Towns' way of pressuring the Knicks, with James Dolan's refusal to enter the second tax apron, though they don't have to agree to an extension before the season starts. If they don't see eye to eye next summer, he could opt to leave.
Karl-Anthony Towns reportedly isn't close to signing extension
Towns has been on Golden State's radar for a few years. The biggest question mark was whether he could contribute to winning basketball, but that question no longer exists after he helped the Knicks win it all this past season.
Even if both sides don't agree to a new deal before the season starts, KAT will likely stay in New York for the entire season, though that's not guaranteed. He could always request a trade, but again, it seems more likely he will stick around and try to help the Knicks repeat. That would boost his value, which he believes is worth more than the $200 million he's been offered, per New York Post's Stefan Bondy.
If the tax apron concerns kept the Knicks from reaching an agreement with KAT, he could decline his player option to set himself up for a larger payday from another team with the cap space to give him what he wants.
Warriors could have a shot at Karl-Anthony Towns
Towns will turn 31 in November, so if he declines his player option to sign a four-year deal with the Warriors, he would be in the Bay through his age-35 season.
Of course, that's a concern, but it would still put Golden State in a position to get a few strong years out of KAT and, of course, boost its chances of another title run with Steph Curry without mortgaging its future. Towns did do well defending Victor Wembanyama in the NBA Finals, a sentence no one once thought possible.
He would be an ideal center for the Warriors, which they thought they had found in Kristaps Porziņġis, but unfortunately, his health is a concern.
What could hold Golden State back from making Towns a reality, if he doesn't agree to a new deal with New York, is Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. Not because they aren't fans of his, but because the Warriors could use their contracts to trade for another star before the February deadline. Again, that could be a move for Towns if his relationship with the Knicks deteriorates during the season.
You would think New York wouldn't let it get to that point, especially given how important KAT is, but the organization's reluctance to enter the second apron could mark the end of his time with the Knicks. And if that's how things play out, the Warriors need to be one of the first teams in line.
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