The New York Knicks are entering an unfamiliar 'championship-or-bust' season after reaching the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals, though recent updates have indicated that their current roster iteration might not be set in stone.
According to one NBA writer, the Knicks' recent offseason decisions, specifically to do with 3-time All-NBA Team selection Karl-Anthony Towns' financial situation, could lead to a franchise-altering swap in the future.
"The New York Knicks have not offered Karl-Anthony Towns a new contract extension," FanSided's Josh Cornelissen wrote Teusday.
"The reason why? They want to be able to trade their star big man at any time."
"Given how well he played last season it is reasonable to have a discussion around whether New York is ready to commit."
"It turns out that they are not."
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Even after authoring one of his best seasons to date, the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft is not yet safe from trade speculation due to the Knicks' decision to keep their roster construction options open.
Towns' teammate and former 2022 Defensive Player of the Year runner-up Mikal Bridges notably received a 4-year, $150 million extension on July 31., but the franchise remains hesitant to hand Towns a long-term deal.
In his debut campaign with the Knicks this past season, Towns contributed 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists while boasting a remarkable 63.0% true shooting percentage in 72 appearances.
It remains unlikely that New York would ship their star center away, but the storied organization has a well-documented history of pulling the trigger on plenty of blockbuster trades in recent years.
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