Knicks Insider Would Be 'A Bit Surprised' If Karl-Anthony Towns Gets $272M Max Contract Extension

New York Knicks star center Karl-Anthony Towns is eligible for a contract extension this offseason, but one expert isn't sure he will receive a maximum deal.

The Athletic's James L. Edwards III suggested that the Knicks would likely offer Towns less than the max in hopes of keeping their championship core together.

"It's hard for me to predict what Towns' extension will be, but if the two sides did agree to one, I'd be a bit surprised if it were for the max," Edwards stated.

Towns is eligible for an extension of up to four years and $272 million. In two years since being acquired by New York, he's helped lead the team to its first NBA championship in 53 years.

Despite being one of the best players on the team, Towns' future outlook made Edwards skeptical about his potential payday.

"Now, the reason I pause is that Towns is 30 years old and big men don't tend to age well," Edwards stated. "An extension would carry him past his prime."

Edwards went on to explain that Knicks wings OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges are still early in their respective lucrative contracts. Star point guard and 2026 NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson "will surely get an extension when the time comes." Veteran swingman Josh Hart will also be extension-eligible later this summer.

"At some point, it feels like something has to give. Would New York really have this core locked in for another three or four years? That seems unlikely," Edwards stated. "There's a world where Towns is the odd man out unless he takes significantly less than the max extension. However, if you're Towns and have helped bring success to the Knicks and are soon to be on the other side of 30, why do that?"