PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns said Monday the prospects of him getting a contract extension with the reigning NBA-champion New York Knicks before the start of the regular season were not looking good.
Opening night against the 76ers and the Knicks' banner-raising celebration on Oct. 20 is a little over two weeks away.
Towns, who is set to turn 31 on Nov. 15, is eligible for a four-year, $276-million deal. He is due to make $57 million this season and has a $61.1-million player option for 2027-28.
Asked at the start of training camp how he would feel about negotiations extending into the season, Towns said, "In this situation, there's no comfortability to be had."
Towns is a six-time All-Star who averaged nearly 16 points and had more than 10 rebounds a game during the Knicks' first title run since 1973. He believes he should be rewarded for his role in winning it all.
"I want to do something that can keep the team together and work with the Knicks and also values me," Towns told reporters before the Knicks' preseason opener at Philadelphia.
Owner James Dolan has said the team would not go into the second spending apron. Big man Mitchell Robinson left New York after eight seasons to sign a three-year deal in free agency with rival Boston.
