New York Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns was not granted an extension by the team at October’s deadline. Nonetheless, Towns has expressed his interest in staying with the Knicks.
Towns is now in his second season with the Knicks since being traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Last season, he was named an All-Star and All-NBA, and was a key part of the Knicks’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals.
This season has been a struggle for Towns. He’s averaging 21.7 points and 11.9 rebounds per game, but is shooting just 44 percent from the floor, and 32 percent from three-point range.
Towns is under contract with the Knicks through the 2027-28 season, although he does have a player option for that year. He and the Knicks failed to reach an agreement by the Oct. 20 deadline, but as he tells Stefan Bondy of the New York Post, Towns hopes to remain a Knick for the future.
“Hell yeah, I want to stay here,” Towns said. “Obviously get a chance to play at home, get to see my family…It means more than the money, you know? So just being able to be here, be with the fans, be with my family, means a lot.”
For now, Towns remains a part of the Knicks’ plan to snap a 52-year title drought. But if his struggles continue, it could open up trade conversations sooner rather than later.
More Knicks news:
- Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns opens up on breaking out of his shooting slump
- Knicks head coach Mike Brown delivering on offseason promise early in season
- Jason Kidd raves about Jalen Brunson after Knicks win over Mavericks
- Knicks fan points out Mike Brown-Tom Thibodeau hypocrisy after Jalen Brunson injury