Karl-Anthony Towns Trade or New Knicks Contract Dilemma Addressed by Rival NBA Exec

There is reportedly some belief within NBA circles that the New York Knicks should make a decision on All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns' future with the franchise this coming offseason.

Speaking to ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Brian Windhorst, an anonymous Eastern Conference executive said, "They're probably in a spot with KAT that they should either extend him or look to trade him. If this playoff run convinces everyone this is a good fit, maybe they can get him to take a little discount off his max like [Jalen] Brunson did and help them keep the core together."

Towns signed a four-year, $220.44 million contract extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2022 before getting dealt to the Knicks in a blockbuster trade two years later.

Now, Towns is only signed through next season at a salary cap hit of just over $57 million, and he has a player option for the 2027-28 campaign, per Spotrac.

Unless Towns suffers a major injury or severely underperforms, it is probably safe to assume that he would opt out and become a free agent after next season if the Knicks don't extend him or trade him before then.

The 30-year-old veteran has been one of the best big men in the game since the T-Wolves made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft.

During his 11-year career, including two with the Knicks, Towns is a six-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection.

The 7-footer helped lead the Knicks to the Eastern Conference Finals last season by averaging 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game during the regular season and 21.4 points and 11.6 rebounds per game during the playoffs.

Towns' production took a bit of a hit this season, averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds during the regular season and 18.4 points and 10.6 rebounds per game, but he is once again a leading contributor for a team with championship aspirations nonetheless.

New York beat the Atlanta Hawks in six games in the first round of the playoffs, and it got off to a rousing start in the second round on Monday night, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers 137-98 in Game 1.

76ers-Knicks Highlights

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A return trip to the ECF would be huge for the Knicks, but their bigger goal is undoubtedly to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 and win their first championship since 1973.

If the Knicks do reach the NBA Finals, it is perhaps safe to assume that the front office will do everything it can to keep together the core of Towns, Brunson, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges in order to take another run at it.

However, if the Knicks stall out again in the ECF or even earlier, perhaps it will compel the front office to look into shuffling the deck by making a big trade involving Towns.