r/nba • u/PianoJealous307 • 4h ago
[Fischer] The Knicks are "far more interested" in signing Towns to a contract closer to a 4-year, $200M deal compared to the 4-year, $276M extension he is eligible to sign. KAT is prepared to sign for less than his max, but the 2 sides are significantly apart on value. Towns can become a FA in 2027.
The New York Knicks are hoping that Karl-Anthony Towns is willing to leave around $75 million on the table.
New York would be “far more” interested in giving Towns a new contract of four years and $200 million, Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reported on Tuesday. That is notably much less than Towns’ full max figure of four years and $276 million.
Towns, who turns 31 in November, is currently in a contract standoff with the Knicks. We learned earlier this week that New York has been asking Towns to take a pay cut and that Towns was now seen as unlikely to agree to a new extension before the season as a result.
Can the Knicks Break the 8-Year No-Repeat Streak? The former No. 1 overall pick Towns has been a stellar player for the Knicks ever since arriving in a 2024 trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Towns has been an All-Star and a 20-ppg scorer in each of his first two seasons with New York and also played a major role in the Knicks’ 2026 NBA championship victory.
But even at a figure of $50 million per year, Towns would still be taking a discount, relative to both his max number and his current contract. For reference, Towns is currently signed for $57.1 million next season and also has a $61 million player option for 2027-28.
The Knicks are trying to avoid the second apron of the luxury tax at all costs and also have to position themselves for No. 1 option Jalen Brunson’s expected mammoth extension next summer. As a result, Towns is being asked to take a haircut, which may only be adding to his reported frustrations with the team.
267
u/LaMelonBallz Hornets 4h ago
Man how tf is KAT is 31
157
u/pieman2005 [HOU] Hakeem Olajuwon 4h ago
What hit me hard is that this will be Zion's 7th season
48
u/lil_e_v_ 76ers 3h ago
8th! unless you dont include 2022 when he didnt play
5
→ More replies (1)4
u/vassman86 [TOR] Jonas Valanciunas 1h ago
I still remember how electric his first game was. Now I'm just sad for New Orleans fans
→ More replies (1)10
→ More replies (1)3
16
u/Better-Lengthiness55 3h ago
Thats young dude- he came as a 19yo. He's in his prime..
→ More replies (2)5
u/AlarmingBranch1 Lakers 2h ago
Once players like VJ or something get to year 10 of their playing career, imma feel reeeeaaaaal old.
→ More replies (1)3
u/Uesugi1989 2h ago
Who do you think will have the better career, him or jahlil Okafor?
→ More replies (1)
249
u/bbank8744 Knicks 4h ago edited 4h ago
I love the human centipede that NBA news is. "New" article that links to a June 2nd, June 19th and September 23rd article summarizing what they said with absolutely nothing new in it.
60
16
u/mr_seggs Jordan 3h ago
Basic problem is that there just aren't 365 days' worth of NBA news. If you want to keep up with demand, you have to rehash bullshit or invent bullshit (e.g., nonstop GOAT debate nonsense).
→ More replies (3)3
u/nonstopenguins Spurs 1h ago
This is exactly what Bill Simmons and other refer to when they say "do not aggregate me"
There was an article a little while ago about ESPN just creating news out of thin air. They would have one of their "analysts" speculate on in this case, what "Lebron would do" on air, and then other ESPN properties and podcasters talk it up and discuss it until it is dead across different podcasts, shows, blogs etc.. referencing each other, but with no concrete source other than one of their own speculating on air..
52
u/SpiritFantastic4835 Lakers 4h ago
This is his last major contract. I’m sure he doesn’t want to take a crazy pay cut
→ More replies (15)
513
u/Andy51 Pistons 4h ago
I would so much rather pay KAT at 4 years 250 mil than Duren at 4 years 200 mil
190
u/yuvinator2 4h ago
the duren offer is 5 years. pretty big difference in aav. plus Kat will be 36 at the end of it, duren will be 27
→ More replies (2)131
u/Disguisedcpht Trail Blazers 4h ago
I’d much rather pay KAT the max than pay Duren 40m/yr
→ More replies (13)28
u/anonymoususer6407 Rockets 4h ago
I agree. This is a ‘reward’ contract more than a ‘hope’ contract if that makes sense. They’re paying him for the results rather than the potential.
→ More replies (2)31
u/Accomplished_Lab8945 4h ago
Vlad Guerrero Jr. in the background nodding with approval
→ More replies (2)78
u/tkflash20 4h ago
KAT is the league's best counter to Wemby.
→ More replies (3)35
u/RadicalMarxistThalia Knicks 3h ago
I don’t disagree but I also think it’s easy to overreact to a series win.
35
u/GustavoFring Knicks 3h ago
I’ve been overreacting to that series win all summer and I’m never gonna stop overreacting to it. Actually, maybe I need to react even more. That’s it, time for a full series rewatch.
→ More replies (1)7
u/BallDontNotLie 3h ago
The finals is literally the most important series win ever. What other barometer is there?
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (19)9
298
1.4k
u/_Wash Timberwolves 4h ago
“Team interested in underpaying player after he was integral to championship run”
insulting tbh
499
u/SignificanceFine3582 Grizzlies 4h ago
What team wouldn’t be interested in locking in talent for less?
That’s how you build better rosters.
197
u/TheCommonKoala 76ers 4h ago edited 4h ago
Or lose your best players and close your window early
67
u/Napolean_BonerFarte 4h ago
If they pay Towns that contract they won’t be able to maintain their depth and will also close their window early
→ More replies (1)26
u/FullHouse222 Knicks 4h ago
We already couldn't keep the roster. We lost Mitch and Jalen Brunson is due for an extension next year.
101
u/SignificanceFine3582 Grizzlies 4h ago
I didn’t think it needed to be said that the players are almost always not interested in taking less
248
u/kosmonautinVT 4h ago
I declined a 2% pay raise last year so that we could build a more competitive accounting team 😤
84
u/justanothersurly Timberwolves 4h ago
You guys think you will win the Deloitte CPA Cup this year?
→ More replies (4)54
u/kosmonautinVT 4h ago
If our MVP wasn't out for the tax season with "numbers elbow" then nobody else would have a chance
12
u/Wyden_long Suns 3h ago
Our HR department lost a generational employee to chronic carpal tunnel. Was doing 250wpm and could run three zoom calls at once as a 22 year old intern and by 26 she was already working in the mail room.
→ More replies (1)7
20
→ More replies (1)9
8
u/ReignOnWillie NBA 4h ago
And teams will almost always undercut players in negotiations if it means there is even a minuscule chance to lower the players overall contract. It’s negotiation. If you start lower, the hope is the final agreement is lower.
Not saying it’s the right thing to do to a player who just helped win a ring, but that’s how big organizations work.
18
u/FreudianNip-Slip Hornets 4h ago
Or close your window early by getting strangled by the 2nd apron hard cap. Cutting off the ability to make moves will also close a window.
→ More replies (4)6
u/lawrencecgn Mavericks 4h ago
WHO would be so crazy to give KAT more than that?
15
u/Smooth_Pepper_3967 Knicks 4h ago
There’s a lot of mid players on maxes in the league. Maybe less now with the current CBA but still
Kat is definitely more deserving of a max than someone like Duren or JB
4
u/deemerritt Hornets 2h ago
Most of those maxes were given out on the old CBA. Eventually it will correct
3
u/JMEEKER86 Japan 2h ago
There's also a big difference between giving a young player a 25% rookie max extension hoping that they will live up to it and they don't compared to giving an older player a 35% max that you know they're not ever going to be worth.
→ More replies (1)4
→ More replies (4)23
u/SeaPeanut7_ 4h ago
The negotiation from the NBA owners is probably one of the most successful management negotiations in recent history. With the second apron, even a wildly successful and profitable team (What was it, $10k per ticket?) can lowball their star players for the sake of building a better team and hiring more talent. It basically puts all of the pressure on the player to accept a lower offer for the sake of the "team"
→ More replies (1)20
u/deemerritt Hornets 3h ago
Na i think this attitude is just a remnant of the idea of giving every all star level guy a max deal. At the end of the day it was never really justifiable to spend 30% of your cap on a guy like KAT, who while a good player, probably isnt a top ten walking playoff berth type guy.
The teams with more depth and pieces are the ones actually winning. These players all have a theoretical market value, and the new CBA actually gets players much closer to their realistic contributions to a team.
→ More replies (4)108
u/Lqtor Supersonics 4h ago
Yeah the fact that he’s willing to not take the max is already crazy in itself, the fact that they want him to take a even bigger pay cut is insane
95
u/cityofklompton 4h ago
Not defending it, but this is going to be the new normal under the new apron rules. Nobody wants to be above the second apron because it essentially freezes what flexibility the team has to make moves, so that it is incredibly difficult to continue building a roster.
Teams are going to be looking to squeeze some millions where in the past they would have been comfortable handing them out if it meant they could contend.
→ More replies (8)41
u/iTALKTOSTRANGERS 76ers 4h ago edited 3h ago
Now that there is a hard cap the max contract is there for the best players in the league and your value as a 2nd tier player is objectively less than the max. Thats just how a “hard” cap like the 2nd apron is gonna operate. The players association agreed to this and unfortunately now contracts are going to shrink for everyone but the top 15ish guys. Teams can’t afford to max a new guy every other year like they used to.
Edit: u/ohmka said it better. The 2nd tier contracts are gonna come down but the 3rd and 4th tier contracts are gonna come up. The only people who are gonna lose money are the 2nd best players on teams now.
9
u/deemerritt Hornets 4h ago
I think it will be really rare to see more than one max guy on a team now. The NBA has been moving toward depth over star power and the teambuilding strategies reflect that.
→ More replies (1)9
u/GeorgeHarris67 4h ago
it's really not unfortunate that a player like KAT won't get a 4 year/$276MM contract
22
u/Ohmka 4h ago
Technically contracts are not going to shrink overall.
Players still get a fixed fraction of the league generated money.
What it does is equilibrate salaries a bit better, 2nd tier players won't get the max anymore, and rotation players will get more than the min.→ More replies (1)6
u/deemerritt Hornets 3h ago
Yea people just need to let it play out, plenty of teams still have contracts that made sense under the old CBA that are fucking over their cap now. Like under this new CBA you would never max guys like MPJ or Murray, but the Nuggets did because it was their only way to keep them.
18
u/EastVarious601 4h ago
It’s a new NBA, simply being an all star on a championship team is not enough to get the max anymore. Depth is far more important now, especially with the 2nd Apron restrictions. Celtics and Thunder have already felt the weight of it, Thunder will likely regret maxing out Holmgren and JDub. Realistically with the way the salary cap works now, only the best player on a championship team should be getting the max.
→ More replies (1)13
u/ElMaskedZorro 3h ago
100% the correct take.
Players and their agents clearly have not properly re-calibrated for the new hard cap
→ More replies (1)3
u/Dat_Boi_John Slovenia 4h ago
Not really, with the new CBA, unless you're a legit top 5 player in the league, you really shouldn't be getting paid the max. And they should change it so teams that draft players can give them money that doesn't count in the cap.
3
u/QuarkstoLaniakea 3h ago
I think the top 10-15 guys should get the max. A guy like cade is 100% worth the max even if he's not on a level with Wemby jokic and Luka.
39
u/JMEEKER86 Japan 4h ago
"Underpaying". He's currently paid like a top 10 player and wants to be paid even more even though he's not a top 10 player. I think $50-55m is a fair range for him. Just because he helped them win a title doesn't mean he should get overpaid.
→ More replies (2)17
u/_NoodleDeity_ Bulls 4h ago
I think teams are also interpreting the value of 1 championship run to be worth more than a few years of mediocrity. Once they get their trophy, they believe fans will go easy on them because of recency to make savings-related moves and avoid the second apron/other penalties.
19
u/BritzBeef 3h ago
Y'all wanna pay 70M a year for mid 30s KAT?
Your team traded him because they didn't wanna pay him his current contract lol
→ More replies (2)23
u/MotoMkali Warriors 4h ago
It will be for his age 32-35 seasons. So it's not like we can assume that he will definitely just be as good as he was for that run forever.
→ More replies (10)4
u/smalls_1804 Knicks 4h ago
Would it be an underpay? In the current cap environment you can't be paying a 36 year old who isn't your best player 35% of the cap
13
u/gigglios 3h ago
He avged 12ppg in the finals. You think he's worth 50+ mil a year?
→ More replies (1)3
u/1shmeckle Knicks 3h ago
I get your point but Knicks might not even have gotten to the 2nd round without Towns and his defense in the playoffs and the finals was ridiculously good.
→ More replies (2)3
u/sleepy777 Knicks 3h ago
All true but he wasn’t our 1A on either offense or defense so not sure if paying him 70M is worth it
→ More replies (1)40
u/hartsbreastmilkstash Knicks 4h ago
No it ain’t. The job of a business is to remain competitive, shelling out that match of the cap into one player is bad for business and hinders additional moves the front office could make.
12
u/SoulReaper12 Celtics 4h ago
competitive, shelling out that match of the cap into one player is bad for business and hinders additional moves the front office could make.
It fine if it was one player, but the Knicks have to pay not only Kat, but Hart and eventually Brunson as well. We just seen it with Jaylen Brown and the Celtics.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (40)13
u/WisdomCow Warriors 4h ago
The extra penalties of the tax are just as much about giving the owners a reason to keep a bigger part of the pie as they are to “even the playing field.”
24
u/lawrencecgn Mavericks 4h ago
The portion of the pie is mostly fixed between owners and players.
3
u/deemerritt Hornets 3h ago
These guys also make so much money now that its hard to get upset about Kat having 500 million in career earnings instead of 600 because of the CBA. Like I get wanting to support the players in every circumstance but its super fair to say these guys are extremely well compensated.
→ More replies (3)4
u/deemerritt Hornets 4h ago
Thats really not how the math ends up working out at all. Despite what the people on this sub think, this CBA is excellent for players outside of guys who were max guys previously that didnt deserve it.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (41)5
u/frostedz Magic 4h ago
There’s also a flip side to anyone who isn’t a Wolves fan… they directly traded for him and believed in him. I can understand the tension and want to be paid. But how much are those millions worth compared to the glory you’ve brought yourself among NY sports fans? There has to be a scenario where endorsements make up the difference.
→ More replies (1)
49
u/MadSpaceYT Knicks 3h ago
“Employer would like to spend less. Employee would like to make more. More at 11”
→ More replies (3)
435
u/Direct-Departure1662 4h ago
KAT should not be taking a paycut, 2nd best player on the Knicks 1st championship since '73.
Owners are using the 2nd apron as a crutch to be cheap.
284
11
u/Beautiful_Ninja Nets 4h ago
If the second apron was only about financial penalties, plenty of owners have the cash to deal with that. The second apron is designed to absolutely cripple a teams ability to team build for future seasons if you decide you're trying to buy your way to a chip. Trades become extremely restrictive, FRP gets effected, becomes very hard to have any sort of bench talent when you're paying a Big 3 with the current CBA.
→ More replies (1)53
u/IllAlwaysBeAKnickFan Knicks 4h ago
There are plenty of owners who would pay the financial penalties if that’s all it was. The whole point of the 2nd apron was to punish the teams in actual impactful basketball ways, not just financially. If the only penalties were financial, the NBA has plenty of owners willing to buy a championship.
→ More replies (1)14
u/yeahright17 Thunder 4h ago
I think this is slightly exaggerated. I don't think there are actually plenty of owners willing to "buy" a championship in the way you're saying. The tax this year is $200M. The repeater tax makes the penalties pretty massive. Spending $250M in salary this year for a repeat taxpayer would result in a tax bill over $300M. I don't think many, if any, owners are willing to eat that.
8
u/deemerritt Hornets 4h ago
Yea the only teams who went hard into the repeater tax were the Warriors, Clippers and Suns.
9
u/yeahright17 Thunder 3h ago
And the largest of those tax bills was $176.9M. Phoenix only paid a bill over $70M once. Clippers paid $152M once and $83M once, but otherwise not more than $60M.
I think owners care way more about the tax payment than some folks on Reddit think they do. That’s a huge amount of money directly out of their pocket.
4
u/deemerritt Hornets 3h ago
Yea its also why some of the second apron arguments are silly, very few owners were willing to go over that threshold before. What this CBA has actually done is make it so that teams are less willign to give second tier guys max contracts, but that might have happened anyways since there is just too much talent in the league now to have 70% of your cap with 2 guys.
21
u/ABustedPosey Warriors 4h ago
I mean that’s the entire point of the second apron, it’s the owner’s attempt to stop owners from spending their money. An effect of that will be that what used to be a default max/supermax player might not be anymore if you are trying to build a competitive team. The days of the top three players on a team just being max players and figuring the rest out later are over
10
u/smalls_1804 Knicks 4h ago
Owners will always get 49% of basketball related income regardless of the face value of the contracts they give to players. The 2nd Apron is designed to stop the absolute richest owners from stacking their teams because they don't care about the luxury tax
6
u/Commercial_Case_5373 3h ago
Idk why people don’t get his. People here really are on the side of Knicks being able to pay their core 4 and still being able to keep all their depth with no penalties even if they’re cap sheet is $100+ million more than everyone else’s. It’s ridiculous.
25
→ More replies (51)13
27
u/Whatsth3dill Trail Blazers 4h ago
50 mil a year is probably better representation of his current value overall, but he's the Knicks only player capable of slowing wemby down. For that matchup alone you can't really afford to lose him
3
u/sexygodzilla Supersonics 2h ago
Very good point. The only game they lost in the Finals was when he got into foul trouble early.
12
155
u/Fun_Reflection1157 4h ago
Call me crazy, but I think $50 mill a year for KAT is perfectly reasonable. Maybe $210 total as a thank you.
42
u/Repulsive_Pianist_60 Warriors 4h ago
i think so too. that actually represents his value.
31
u/deemerritt Hornets 4h ago
I think people got way too used to the fact that every team had two max guys and dont understand that the new CBA will require actual negotiation, and only a few guys in the NBA will actually get a max deal. Its probably better that way too.
8
u/QuarkstoLaniakea 3h ago
And the Knicks are unique because they have 1 superstar and then like a slew of players who could be alll-star level any given night. 2-8 it's a loaded roster. It means it's going to be really fucking hard if not impossible to pay everyone.
3
u/deemerritt Hornets 2h ago
The Thunder were built the same way. I dont know if its unique or just the best way to construct a roster right now.
→ More replies (1)4
u/Jacob_toasted Timberwolves 4h ago
That would make his salary next season like 45 M. 28 players are set to make more than that. KAT should get more, and I bet a team would be willing to give more.
→ More replies (1)7
u/jackie_chans_nose [TOR] Pascal Siakam 4h ago
Wasn't Duren's offer about the same? He'd see that as insulting to be valued at the same price.
Edit: my bad, just looked it up, it was 5/200.
3
u/Onlyblackcoffee_ 4h ago
I think it's more that Kat is 100 percent worth 200million. I think that's a fair price for him, but duren is absolutely not worth 200 million in any market ever.
→ More replies (1)10
u/Cudi_buddy Kings 4h ago
Yea I think if anything the second apron is making max contracts as they should. Only the best player on the team really should have one. Before you were getting 2-3 guys or guys on mediocre teams getting huge contracts that they are not worth tbh
→ More replies (9)8
u/JMEEKER86 Japan 4h ago
Anything in the $50-55m AAV range seems completely fair. He's currently a bit overpaid since he's making top 10 money despite obviously not being a top 10 player. His max has an AAV of $69m and that amount for him would be crazy.
17
u/OrangeHer Bucks 4h ago
why would he do this, sure he would probably prefer to stay on the team but a 76 million discount is quite a lot to ask
→ More replies (3)
7
u/downtimeredditor Hawks 3h ago
Once you got that championship like to me personally why not just chase the bag. The title is secured. The player will dictate their legacy with play but why not take the bag going forward
25
u/SlantFaceKilla 3h ago
I don’t like this trend of players helping these billionaire owners.
14
u/zannet_t 3h ago
The next CBA has to include discounts for cap calculation purposes. Owners being able to hold team construction hostage against players is terrible for players.
→ More replies (4)5
u/QuarkstoLaniakea 3h ago
Why? The whole point of the second apron is specifically built to prevent teams from just loading up contracts to win titles.
You actually have to be careful with spending now. Few contracts outside of the top 10 players are going to be "pay Dat man his money" deals.
4
u/zannet_t 2h ago
If your goal were absolute parity, then the current system has evidently worked pretty well because you basically force all good teams to break up when their players demonstrate their value by winning.
But I think a lot of discussions here and elsewhere have also shown that fans don't want to see teams implode when those teams draft or develop well. People hate teams being able to load up and win, but people mind it less when it's not just a rich owner buying up the best players from all over without a care.
So I personally think a cap discount makes sense as a middle point. If you drafted and/or developed a player well, you should be able to pay them top dollar while not having it torpedo your team's chances to compete. The current system just forces players to leave more often and get nickel and dimed by owners because players are now somehow made responsible for cap management.
5
u/HokageEzio Knicks 3h ago
That's not how that works. It's the percentage of the cap, not the dollar amount.
→ More replies (3)3
u/DiscreteBee Raptors 3h ago
The players collectively still get the same percentage of revenue… but yeah getting under the aprons still helps the individual owner pay less in luxury tax.
18
u/RVAteach Knicks 4h ago
He’s going to take the extension for 61, and then sign something like a 4 year 220 mil deal.
18
u/Prior_Ice1672 Knicks 3h ago
James Dolan is gonna be cheap after he won a championship and we’re gonna go right back to Knicks normal misery aren’t we
5
u/Aesop_Rocks Knicks 3h ago
Pump the brakes, Dolan has never been cheap. And it's not like Isiah Thomas is back in the fold to fuck things up.
Oh, wait, what's that? He is?! FUCK!
7
57
u/OutsideOk1380 4h ago
James Dolan finally had a Knicks team that not only fucking won the title but is full of guys who it is super duper easy to root for.
I’m a Celtics fan and yet I still really liked this Knicks team. They were tough, smart, successful, no divas or drama queens, they played well together, and they loved each other.
They were a perfect example of team work, determination, gratitude, and hard work. You couldn’t have written a better team to win the Knicks first title in however many decades.
James Dolan saw that and instantly decided “fuck them they’re greedy I ain’t paying shit.”
God do I hate James Dolan. Shout all the Knicks players yall did your thing and this is your reward. A billionaire painting you as greedy.
38
u/avx775 4h ago
The 2nd apron is a hard cap in disguise. I don’t want to pay 35 year old Kat 70 million either
→ More replies (32)14
u/JA_MD_311 Knicks 3h ago
The run was a great reminder how much he sucks. From inviting Trump and killing the G3 vibes, to dissing Mamdani at the parade, to be unwilling to go into the second apron to keep Robinson, to saying they’ll go to the WH when the team clearly doesn’t want to.
Just keep staying out of the way and sign the checks man.
10
u/OutsideOk1380 3h ago
And this dude fancies himself as a “blues musician.”
I really hate James Dolan. Had to keep reminding myself during the playoffs that no, Jalen Brunson is an excellent player who worked very hard to overcome the doubters. Same with towns and others.
They were extremely easy to root for then James Dolan popped up and it was “omg fuck the Knicks”
→ More replies (19)7
u/No-Drawer9926 4h ago
They're trying to stay competitive and lost their backup center. If they get into the 2nd apron, there's no chance they'll find a long term replacement for Mitch, since Drummond is clearly just a placeholder. It's a tough situation.
18
u/BillionsofRedditors 3h ago edited 3h ago
Unpopular opinion: stop overpaying star players for past performance and be willing to accept your contender status is only 2-4 years.
Teams overpaying stars just sets back the next contender status window.
If the Knicks overpay KAT, they'll have to trade off a key piece or two while KAT ages into his age 32 season and beyond. They'll then make the playoffs but no longer be contenders most likely, particularly as KAT will likely decline in production due to age and injuries (most big men in their 30s don't stay super healthy).
Knicks won a championship and they have two more years of KAT. Push hard for another title these next two years and then rebuild. There is nothing wrong with that.
→ More replies (9)5
u/devidomo Mavericks 3h ago
In addition to what the other guy said. A team cant really control their bad years the way they can try to maximize their competing window. Like once you start to blow up your team, you start to rely more heavily on luck of the draft to decide when you are going to get back to competitive basketball. So if the knicks start to blow it up by not paying core players then who knows when they will be back to competing for championships.
33
u/foofighter1351 Raptors 4h ago
Asking him to take a paycut compared to his current contract is crazy lmao, just ask for the same discount Brunson got, a max.
25
→ More replies (11)3
u/humphreyboggart Timberwolves 3h ago
He'll be turning 37 the last year of that contract. It's reasonable to expect a risk of him falling off somewhat, so it makes sense that he'd be paid a little less than his current value. He's also probably slightly overpaid currently at $57M.
9
u/nuhx 4h ago
NBPA really fucked up big time. He would have easily gotten a max under the previous CBA.
→ More replies (1)3
9
u/mikesaninjakillr Celtics 4h ago
KAT has a chip and 11 Years of 20pts and 10 Boards This is almost certainly his last Huge Contract I wouldnt blame him for asking for more money.
5
4
u/DrDosMucho Lakers 3h ago
The Knicks are far more interest in saving money and paying a player less. More at 11. Oh wait no that’s all the news
14
u/CLE216Land 4h ago
It's not fair that they want james dolan to pay all that money Kat should jus play for free so james can keep more money the owners need our support
→ More replies (3)5
20
u/DaJuggerHobbit Hawks 4h ago
They’re giving KAT the Duren offer after KAT helped win the Knicks a championship and played well throughout the playoffs.
Is there anyone that thinks KAT and Duren should be paid the same?
10
8
→ More replies (7)3
14
u/wantobi Warriors 4h ago
quite obvious by now that james dolan doesnt believe this team can win multiple championships. that's why he wants the flexibility of not being locked in the 2nd apron for multiple years
.... that or he's just a trash owner who got lucky with a championship
→ More replies (9)15
u/xXstrikerleoXx 4h ago
Feels like both those statements can be true at the same time
Dolan is trash, but the reality that's set in for a lot of people is that, championship windows especially in Knicks model where they don't rely on long term draft picks instead by key signings don't last long
→ More replies (3)
12
u/AltruisticChipmunk53 Knicks 4h ago
Man this sucks. KAT is worth every penny. Championship doesn’t happen without him
→ More replies (3)
7
u/Datboy_98 Spurs 4h ago
It’s his final massive contract and he helped them win a ring. That’s $76m he would never claw back.
5
u/FrizzyFro 4h ago
He could bet on himself & take way more money than 200 million somewhere else if i'm Kat i'm not worried about winning chips anymore theres nothing else for him to prove at this point in his career imo
5
4
4
u/Maleficent-King-799 3h ago
Taking less money is one thing, but he's not leaving 75 million on the table. This is probably his last max contract.
It's crazy that $50 million a year is considered taking less now. I don't understand nba contracts and max money anymore
19
u/sportsinaround Hornets 4h ago edited 4h ago
I understand the avoidance of the 2nd apron woes but offering and expecting Towns to accept 200 over 4 years when he has averaged 23/11 over his career, is one of the best shooting centers in the league, and was integral to the championship run, is kind of suspect.
9
→ More replies (6)6
u/IllAlwaysBeAKnickFan Knicks 4h ago
Duren is 200/5 btw.
It’s also not suspect. It’s either him, Hart and a couple others take below market value and we keep it together and try to keep winning, or we have to start picking and choosing, offloading guys who are integral to competing, and just move on as a pretty decent team with some big holes.
11
u/TimelyN1nja 4h ago
Welcome to the second apron, aka the only reason KAT is even in NY and not MN
7
u/IllAlwaysBeAKnickFan Knicks 4h ago
Yeah. That’s fine, these are the rules. It’s up to KAT if he wants to play for the Kings or something on a max or stay in New York on a bit less. The public and even the players/agents haven’t realized that every good player isn’t a max player anymore. They can’t be with these rules. There’s not enough cap space in the league to pay 3 guys a max contract on a single team and still fill the team out well enough to win a championship. Guys like KAT and others who are 2nd best on a championship level team need to accept a bit below a max now if they want to win. There will be teams desperate for talent that will give them that max, but like I said, it will be a team like the Kings that can’t compete.
→ More replies (14)
9
u/GopherNutz Timberwolves 4h ago
He’s going to take a significant discount to stay, just a matter of how much he can squeeze out of them. He was a big part of what will go down as a “moment” in NBA history, he’s not throwing that away for 12-15 mill a year and playing in Memphis or some shit. His family’s from the tri-state and his wife being an influencer type that would probably prefer to be in a major city, he’s not going anywhere
6
u/Wild_Notice_8216 4h ago
the man won you championship after 50 years. Don't be el-cheapo. Reward him and pay him his due.
23
u/kratos_337 4h ago
I feel like since Brunson took a massive discount instead of waiting, the front office probably thinks everyone would be willing to do the same. Which probably isn't the case.
6
u/OKC89ers Thunder 4h ago
Exactly why the players union has typically been against taking less
3
u/deemerritt Hornets 4h ago
Brunson took his max at the time, he is a smaller guard who is getting older and small guards are usually one injury away from being completely washed. He took less money than his theoretical max if he waited a year sure, but there was risk involved in that.
28
u/Agile_Variety_632 Pelicans 4h ago
Every time someone says Brunson took a massive discount, a random puppy dies. I really hope you guys reconsider what you are saying and learn from this so fewer dogs die.
→ More replies (4)7
u/mikesh8rp Knicks 4h ago
I don't think this necessarily means that. Brunson is unquestionably a max player, given his impact. He also didn't really take a discount, but just the max he could at the time, rather than wait and risk an injury.
Maybe Towns can get a max somewhere, but I'd be surprised if any team who is really considered a contender would pay that much for him, given his limitations, age, and playstyle.
I'll always be a fan of KAT's, and I hope they get to a number somewhere in the middle that works for both, but I do get them not giving him a full max.
6
u/Rook2Rook 4h ago
Would any team give KAT a max?
11
→ More replies (4)5
u/Razatiger 4h ago
Best floor spacing big in the league, if you can cover for his weaknesses on defense, he wins you chips.
4
6
u/natronemeans20 4h ago
This is insane, too many players leaving money on the table when the NBA isn't hurting. I hope the new CBA addresses this.
6
8
u/IamSofakingRAW Raptors 4h ago
He is way better than Duren. No way I take the same as him off a championship lmao
→ More replies (2)
17
u/YanksJetsKnicks 4h ago
Yeah expecting a guy who is probably a top 3 C in the NBA to take a $76 mil paycut so a billionaire doesn’t have to go into the 2nd apron eventually is pretty insulting. Don’t blame KAT for being annoyed.
→ More replies (16)
3
u/pahamack Raptors 4h ago
He has a player option for 61m lol.
Knicks have no cards. They want him to give up 11m that year.
3
3
3
3
3
u/Global_Addendum_6200 Knicks 3h ago
With the current CBA you can either take a pay cut and stay on a contender, take the max with another team and lose. Teams can basically afford 1 max player. You can afford more than 1 max if you don’t want to be good.
3
u/Striking_Moose_8747 Celtics 3h ago
Honestly there's no need for him to rush. Playing for 57 this year and then opting in to 61 the next season is much better than taking 50 so I don't see him budging. NY gonna have to come way up there's a huge difference between 50 and 69
6
u/mikemuscalaGOAT 4h ago
The second apron is a hard cap. Going into it is a massive crutch on the ability to stay flexible from a team building pov. If there was no second apron you can bet ur ass they paying him 270. It’s just a shit structure
6
5
6
u/Even_Courage_1422 Charlotte Bobcats 3h ago
I get the concern from the Knicks since he’s going to be an aging center in a couple years but I think KAT will actually age well.
His game is built on skill and technique that sets him apart as a great stretch big, it was never really predicated on being an elite athlete like other centers.
Will his rebounding go down once he loses a step in a couple years? Sure. Still an elite offensive option to have and at least an above average glass cleaner.
→ More replies (2)
4
u/chollida1 Raptors 3h ago
Hard to blame the Knicks for not wanting to pay a big man who is 31 for more than 4 years.
6
7
u/mydrumluck Knicks 4h ago
As much as it hurts, I want KAT to get his bag and if he has to leave, then fuck that sucks but I get it. The Knicks only got him because of these stupid ass rules anyways and they got a title with him. He's just such a nice guy and easy to root for I'd miss him
Edit: grammar
→ More replies (2)
6
u/djokster91 Timberwolves 4h ago
As much as I’d love my man KAT to get the bag, the only way to keep your championship window open is, if all players are open to paycuts. Owners might use it to be cheap, sure. But that’s just the reality of it all.
8
u/New-Fluent-1992 4h ago
KAT shouldn't take a pay cut. Bro is a HOF center, and they want to pay him the same amount the Pistons are offering Duren. Insult.
→ More replies (1)5
20
u/heat_fan_ Raptors 4h ago
Kinda insulting to the guy who helped win a title
58
u/SantosCalzonesBatman Spurs 4h ago
Im sorry but was he playing for free before or something?
19
u/charliekirkbread 4h ago
Dudes (with 0 ms to their name) are so worried that he’s not getting more than $50m a year. Can’t make ts up
→ More replies (1)35
u/Effective-File4645 4h ago
Teams have to chose between insulting guys or trying to remain competitive with the current cba
→ More replies (4)6
13
→ More replies (2)4
u/IllAlwaysBeAKnickFan Knicks 4h ago
Cannot continue to compete for those titles if nobody wants to sacrifice some money. It’s fine if they don’t. But then they also have to be willing to accept that winning a title will not be possible again. We got one, so I don’t care either way, but players want to pretend they can have it all. They want their market value and they want to win. Just can’t happen in 2026. The rules don’t allow it.
3
u/CaffeineJunkee Nuggets 4h ago
Don’t blame the Knicks for trying to lower the price. You don’t want to run into the problem my Nuggets have.
5
3
u/Cliffus_Jiggrin 4h ago
Theyre treating him like he's Jalen Duren with a Crumbl Cookie wtf
- Cliffus Jiggrin
3
u/IMovedYourCheese 3h ago
“We know you are owed $57M and $61M for the next two years but why don’t we give you $50M instead?”
Masterful negotiation skills.
1.0k
u/abesach [IND] Reggie Miller 4h ago
I heard planting trees is a 4 year salary of $76M