The New York Knicks still have a pathway to sign Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart to long-term contract extensions while remaining below the NBA’s second luxury tax apron, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
Speaking on NBA Today on Friday, October 9, Marks said scenarios had been presented to the Knicks’ front office that would allow both players to sign extensions and keep New York below the financial threshold for the 2027-28 season.
“There’s still a pathway with Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart to stay under the second apron for next season,” Marks said. “Both players would sign on a deal to extend their contracts and be part of the Knicks for the foreseeable future.”
Marks added that both players were willing to consider contracts that would help the organization maintain its championship-winning core.
The possibility comes amid uncertainty surrounding New York’s extension negotiations. The Knicks recently announced that they would suspend contract extension talks until later in the season, saying the organization’s focus was on preparing for the upcoming campaign.
Marks criticized Knicks owner James Dolan for publicly stating after the team’s championship that New York would not enter the second apron.
“I thought it was probably one of the more damaging statements that an owner could make, especially after winning a championship, just because it has boxed this front office into a corner,” Marks said.
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Towns is eligible for a four-year, $276 million extension and has a $61 million player option for the 2027-28 season. The 30-year-old averaged 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists in 75 regular-season games last season, helping New York win its first NBA championship since 1973.
Hart also remains an important part of the team’s rotation. He averaged 12.0 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists in 66 games in 2025-26 while shooting a career-best 41.3% from three-point range.
Although Marks believes the Knicks can find a way to extend Towns and Hart for 2027-28, he warned that the financial picture becomes more complicated two seasons later.
Jalen Brunson’s potential maximum extension is a major consideration. Marks noted that Brunson’s salary could increase from $43 million to $64 million if New York remains below the second apron and the relevant extension conditions are met.
That future commitment would leave the front office with less flexibility to retain the rest of the roster, including Miles McBride, who is also eligible for an extension.
Marks’ comments followed Towns’ public frustration with the lack of progress in negotiations. The center recently said that the two sides had not come close to an agreement that both kept the team together and reflected his value.
Marks suggested that Towns’ decision to speak publicly about the situation may have contributed to the Knicks’ announcement that extension discussions would be put on hold. He argued that reaching an agreement before the season begins could prevent the issue from becoming a distraction.
