NBA

Illustration of two Knicks players in blue and orange uniforms standing in Madison Square Garden

Knicks Table Extension Talks With Towns, Hart and Others Until Later in Season

By The Sports Nus Staff | October 9, 2026

The defending champion New York Knicks are shutting down contract extension negotiations with every eligible player until later in the season, the team announced Friday. The decision covers four players: Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, Miles McBride and Tyler Kolek.

Through a spokesman, the Knicks released a statement to ESPN's Shams Charania: "As an organization, our entire focus is on preparing for the upcoming season and delivering another year for our fans to be proud of. As a result, we will not be negotiating contract extensions until later in the season and will remain solely focused on preparing for the start of the season." Newsday's Steve Popper first reported the announcement.

The move comes days after Towns publicly aired his frustration with the stalled negotiations. "It don't look good," Towns said Monday, via ESPN. "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." He added that he was surprised at how far apart the sides remain on the heels of a championship season.

The gap is real money. Towns is eligible for a four-year extension worth a maximum of $276 million, but the Knicks' latest offer sits around four years and $200 million, per Charania. Towns has said he is willing to take less than his max to keep the core together, yet the two sides have not come close to a compromise. He is owed $57 million this season and holds a $61.1 million player option for 2027-28.

Hart is the team's other prime extension candidate. He will earn $20.9 million this season with a $22.3 million team option for 2027-28, and he is eligible for an extension worth up to $132 million over four years. At media day last month, Hart acknowledged he would prefer a deal sooner rather than later. "Hopefully, we can figure that out," he said. "We know it's a business and we know if some of these things aren't figured out by February, it might be a different conversation."

McBride is entering the final year of the three-year, $13 million extension he signed in 2023 and is headed for unrestricted free agency this summer. Kolek, a second-round pick out of Marquette in 2024, has a $2.5 million team option for 2027-28.

What it means

Pausing the talks quiets a near-daily distraction less than two weeks before the Knicks raise their championship banner at Madison Square Garden. But it solves nothing. Without someone taking a massive discount, it is nearly impossible for the Knicks to keep this core together in a couple of years while staying under the second apron of the luxury tax, a line owner James Dolan has repeatedly said the team will not cross. The deadline to get deals done is June 30, 2027, which gives both sides time. It does not give them math.

Key Facts

Announced: Friday, Oct 9, 2026. All extension talks tabled until later in the season.
Players affected: Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, Miles McBride, Tyler Kolek
Towns money: Eligible for 4-year, $276M max; Knicks offer around 4 years, $200M. Owed $57M this season with a $61.1M player option for 2027-28.
Hart money: $20.9M this season, $22.3M team option for 2027-28; eligible for up to 4 years, $132M.
Deadline: June 30, 2027 to finalize extensions.

VIA Shams Charania, ESPN. Steve Popper, Newsday. Towns and Hart quotes via ESPN. Contract figures via Spotrac and Hoops Rumors. Background via NBC Sports and Reuters.