Karl-Anthony Towns on chances of signing extension with Knicks before season: 'It don't look good'

"Simply put, I want to do something to keep the team together and can work with the Knicks and also values me," Towns said Monday before the preseason opener. "And none of those things are close to happening."

Asked about the possibility of an agreement before the regular season starts, Towns said, "It don't look good."

Towns, who played perhaps the best basketball of his life during New York's run to a title back in June, has one fully guaranteed season left on his contract, and holds a $61 million player option for the 2027-28 campaign. He is eligible for an extension worth a maximum of $276 million over four years — a deal with an average annual value of $69 million per season, which would make him one of the highest-paid players in the league .