The Knicks put out a statement on Friday that they’re tabling contract talks with players who are eligible for extensions until later in the 2026/27 season.
One of those extension-eligible players, Josh Hart, spoke about his contract situation at media day last month, acknowledging that he’d prefer to get a deal done sooner rather than later and suggesting that extension standoffs can “wear people down” if they remain unresolved indefinitely.
“Hopefully, we can figure that out,” Hart said at the time. “We know it’s a business and we know if some of these things aren’t figured out by February, it might be a different conversation.”
However, the veteran guard/forward’s stance softened somewhat when he was asked about the team’s statement on Saturday, as SNY Knicks relays (Twitter video link).
“I don’t know. I mean, everything’s gonna work out,” Hart said. “I’m not really too stressed over it, putting too much into it. Obviously, we have high expectations. It’s good we’re able to just focus on the season and keeping it moving.”
According to Kristian Winfield of The New York Daily News, Hart said he wasn’t frustrated by the situation in part because of his contract — he’ll earn about $20.9MM this season, with the Knicks holding a $22.4MM team option 2027/28.
“No, because at the end of the day, I’m still under contract in New York. We have a hell of a team that’s going to try and repeat. [And] I’m in an amazing situation off the court, so it’s not frustrating,” Hart said. “Obviously, you want to get some of those things done, but if it doesn’t, it’s nothing where you lose sleep over. We’re blessed to be out here playing basketball for a living.
“So, you know, it’s not frustrating. You just got to make sure you’re able to block out the noise and whatever rumors that whoever, a random person said, their sources said, et cetera, on Twitter. Just got to block that out and keep it moving.”
Still, Hart admitted it will be “difficult” to completely ignore his contractual future at times, Winfield writes.
“There’ll be days where you don’t think about it, where you’re just like, ‘You know, [expletive] let’s go hoop,” said Hart. “And then other days where it’s top of the mind. We’re human. Sometimes it’s difficult, if you don’t know what your future is. So sometimes that’s tough battling that with some days, and some days you’re not even worried about it. You’re just focused on going out there and hooping.
“Obviously there’s a humanity side to it, but right now I’m cool. I’m focused on the season.”
Winfield hears Hart has been willing to accept “significantly less” than the max he’s eligible to receive ($132MM over four years) in order to help the Knicks keep their core together in future seasons.
Shams Charania and Bobby Marks of ESPN (YouTube links) reported on Friday’s NBA Today that Hart’s and Karl-Anthony Towns’ agents (both are represented by CAA, notes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post) have presented scenarios to the team where both players would receive extensions that would enable the Knicks to avoid going over the second apron in 2027/28. Obviously, nothing has materialized on that front.
Charania said Towns has been willing to take “tens of millions” less than his max ($276MM over four years), but the Knicks have been unwilling to go higher than around $200MM over four years, which Towns reportedly views as “too extreme of a pay cut.” The star big man will earn $57.1MM this season and holds a $61MM player option for 2027/28.
Towns admitted earlier this week that he has been frustrated by his contract extension negotiations with the Knicks, telling reporters that he and the team weren’t close to reaching a deal and that he was surprised there was such a significant gap between the two sides on the heels of a championship season.
Miles McBride, who’s also extension-eligible, previously conceded he was “a little disappointed” in the lack of momentum in his contract talks with the Knicks.
Hart is not going anywhere. Kat could be a different story. Sign Hart 5/100 and Kat 4/200. Hopefully they could squeeze Duece back on the team. However Duece probably wants more money and more playing time elsewhere
I don’t think Kat gets that money from no one and also gets traded
I see Hart getting $20-22M per for 3, maybe 4 years and I think he’d be ok with that. KAT is more likely in the 4/240 area, and I think the Knicks are ok with that considering it would be the halfway mark from what the max is vs what they’re ~publicly stating. McBride is a casualty unless Dolan is convinced to exceed the goal line.
I don’t see a 30 yo big man who only averaged 15/10 in the playoffs and 13/10 in the finals getting that. I truly believe he gets traded. His next contract somewhere else is like 40m a year
Just play ball and get the job done. Players get what’s coming to them. We got more important things right now. Towns is signed for two more yrs. Hart is signed for is also signed for two yrs.
Like I said for a year now. Trade Towns as soon as he looks good. And all cap problems are fixed. I take Turner, Kuz, #1 pick right NOW.
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Once you trade KAT, you end any chance of competing for another championship.
Says you . I believe in my tram and the things I say.
You can believe what you want. Maybe if you close your eyes real hard for ten days. The cap issue and contract extensions will disappear.
You aren’t winning another championship without KAT. If you flip him for Turner, who is going to rebound? Turner doesn’t.
Towns is a better rebounder. Not worried. Thrner and Kuc can get 10-12.
They did average about 10 between them. But who does Kuz replace in the lineup to get his? OG, Mikal, Josh? They aren’t losing minutes to Kuz.
I think that KAT has a serious bit of leverage. All he has to do is (happily) play his contract out. That, with the other business they will have to do, will put them into the 2nd apron next year. The Knicks can try to shop him, but if I am another GM, I know that they have to sell him for cheap because they announced their self imposed 2nd apron hard cap. I am not doing them any favor in taking his cap hit, I will have to be incentivized to do so.
Also, the aprons suck. Teams should not be hit for drafting and developing well. I hate that I am as concerned with the cap sheet as with who are the players on the team.
Kuz has an expiring contract we also add a pick. Kuz is coming off bench. Just an added scorer and size at wing. Turner, Drummond, Wiseman are the ones who will need to step up. I believe in them. And the better depth. Ask yourself who are the most important Knicks. I say Jalen and OG. Why wouldn’t Turner, Kuz ball out here. He is signed for three yrs. Kuz money is coming off next yr. So we got no cap restrictions and can still win it imo. I rather this than a drama filled season with Towns. That simple
Without KAT, that team has a real hole. When engaged (and I know that is always the issue with him) he is the better all around defender. He opens up the floor so that Hart can do his thing, he makes the offensive end easier for his teammates.
As to why Turner and Kuz wouldn’t ball out, I would ask why would they? Kuz hasn’t in a couple of years. Turner didn’t look good against OKC in the finals, he had a down year last year. What suggests that isn’t the trend?
I will say as a Pistons fan, I would love that trade. It weakens the Knicks. But I don’t see Milwaukee doing it either. They would want assets, and NY doesn’t have much. Now, they could add a 3rd team, but that gets into some real sketchy speculation.
Assets for what? They get off Turner contract. And can move Towns for younger players or assets. Or just let him walk next yr. That’s 55 mill in salary. Try and keep up. Bucks would do it. I doubt Knicks do. I do it tmrw. What part of Knicks can’t resign him don’t you get. Not worth the trouble in a repeat year. You must not watch ball. If you don’t think these players would play their assets off in NY. Its a chip they don’t have. You understand the word depth. And frankly I don’t care what you think. We need players who understand what playing for a chip means. Its not negotiating contracts. That’s why they have agents.
I agree that they will have a hard time resigning him and stay under the 2nd apron. I think that NY would have a real issue with repeating without KAT. Turner hasn’t been anywhere in the same class as KAT since the ECF against NY. And Milwaukee is in asset collecting mode since their cupboard is bare after trying to keep Giannas. And not many teams are in the position to be able to add KAT without their own apron issues or with a bevy of assets to hand to Milwaukee.
My point is that KAT’s $61M option is quite a weapon to hold against Dolan, and breaking up a championship team will not be a popular thing, not that the Knicks fans will punish Dolan by not showing up or watching.
And while they might want to play their asses off in NY, being washed is being washed. Milwaukee has wanted to trade those guys since Giannas left town, and there are no real suitors. The market tells me what the league thinks of them and their deals.
You should chk out their stats. And why wouldn’t they ball out in NY. Kuz has a ring. Turner took Pacers to Finals. That Pacer team was all team effort. I am good with that. A pick and Kuz is a FA.
No drama in NY. Simple
Kuz was a replacement level guy on the Lakers bubble team. Kind of a bit better than Landry Shamet for this past Knicks team. Turner did help the Pacers to the finals, but it was Halliburton that drove that team. Both looked washed in Milwaukee, granted, it was easy to look washed there last year, but nobody is demanding them in trades.
I am sympathetic to the Knicks issue, and that KAT can really put a hurt on the Knicks simply by playing out his contract. If the Knicks decide to trade him, expect a return like what Dallas got for Luka, if not having to give up picks as well. Other GMs can read Dolan’s comments and a cap sheet. Milwaukee will want some picks as part of that deal, helping NY out of a financial jam. And sure, Milwaukee would likely flip KAT for more assets, but who has the room to take him and not have the same apron issues?
The aprons suck. Decisions are being made not about basketball and fit, but on financial considerations. Every team is going to face these issues when they get good. And it shouldn’t be that way. Especially if you have drafted and developed your guys (see OKC, Det, Den, Orl…).
link to espn.com
link to espn.com
Kuz avg 16 n 6. And even as a sixth man is a player. He’s a bench guy on Knicks. Who needs to score when he comes in. A better scorer than anyone we got. You need that explained. And also brings size. Again you really don’t understand what depth means. Knicks are already a top bench team. Only better with Kuz.
Turner at 28 mins. Gives enough to win. We will see the Pacer Turner. I believe in other players to step up. Like OG and Bridges. So we can make up the points from Towns easy. Plus tge pick gives more options next yr. And. Kuz coming off the books too. Turner is not only center out there. There are a few deals out there. Again the team comes first. I guess you don’t understand that. Towns can behave and we can compete for title. Reality says this could be his last year. And probably is his last year. Knicks aren’t paying him what he wants. So I got no problem moving on. You know the FA class next yr. Yeah I doubt it.
So tell me what Knicks do next year with Towns. He can opt out if he wants. Please tell us
I only care about Knicks and what they do and what our options are. I don’t need an explanation of aprons or draft picks. I deal in reality. I am giving you a real response to our issue.
They can move on from him. I expect them to because of the money (and that shouldn’t be a factor). I just don’t think the Knicks repeat without KAT. I know they don’t win last year without him. If the Knicks want to make themselves weaker, as a Pistons fan, I am all for that.
I also don’t think that NY can get KAT’s true value in a trade because of his contract, and that other GMs know the position the Knicks have put themselves in. KAT is an All-NBA level player, probable Hall of Fame, Turner and Kuz can’t match that. There aren’t many possible trades out there that will be able to replicate KAT’s production.
Dolan has handcuffed Rose. Teams go into the 2nd apron when they have a championship level team, and NY is that. They just proved it. If that isn’t worth being in the 2nd apron for a year or two, then what team is?
I get that you are looking at your team’s future (as you should!) and that the options aren’t great. I commend you for that. I just don’t think that dealing KAT improves that team now or in the future, from a basketball perspective. The money issue is all about Dolan not wanting to pay the huge tax, not about the roster building penalties because he has a championship roster. Blowing a chance at repeating so that next years tax bill is lower is an awful way to run a team. And Dolan can do it because the Knicks fanbase will never stop being rabid (in a terrific way, all teams wish their fans were as great as the Knicks showed after games 4 and 5).
Know that I enjoy your takes and that you know your stuff.
No team has gone in 2nd apron. So don’t what you are talking about. And Knicks aren’t handcuffed by Dolan. They are capped out. Rose can play with cap until Feb TD. Tgen team salaries are set. I could be wrong here. But this yr isn’t a cap issue yr. So learn to think for yourself. The real issue will come at end of year. I just don’t want drama. Pretty simple.
You from Chicago Richard .
Cleveland. Denver. Minnesota. Phoenix. Boston. All have been in the second apron. NY has KAT because of it. Mitchell is gone because of it. Payton Watson is in Cleveland because of it. Phoenix and Boston shed tons of salary to get out of it.
Dolan said he would pay any tax bill, but not go into the 2nd apron. That is BS. Going into the 2nd apron brings both higher taxes (which Dolan said he was fine with) and roster building limitations. He is using those limitations as an excuse to not pay the higher taxes. He has a championship roster. They could repeat if they keep it. He chose to let Mitch walk so he wouldn’t pay the higher tax but frames it as staying out of the 2nd apron. The Knicks are only carrying 14 guys right now because of the apron, so the cap is an issue.
I sympathize with fans that want the best team possible to be put on the floor, I am one. Making personnel decisions based on the 2nd apron sucks, but it is part of the game. There are several teams that are making those decisions. Golden State, Orlando, OKC (who just dumped 3 every good players and key parts of their championship team to get out of the 2nd apron) are all making decisions based on staying out of the 2nd apron. More will be there soon, and all fan bases will see good popular players being moved for 2nd apron reasons. And more teams will have empty roster spots. There are 17 open spots right now, and many of those are because of tax/apron issues.
link to spotrac.com
One of the worst things to ever happen in pro sports was Dolan being let have a championship.
And you think the Sixers wouldn’t do that if they won? Lmao
Gee thanks, so generous. Dolan has nothing to do wit winning. Troll
Sorry, but Dolan isn’t really a factor any longer. Mitch is gone because Dolan didn’t give Rose the flexibility to exceed the 2nd apron this season. That’s DONE.
What’s now in play (with the extensions) is more systemic. While I expected Dolan to give Rose a path to keep Mitch and do a full run back, I never thought he (or any other owner) would ever sign off on being hopelessly over the 2nd arpon for a 4 year period. Not even sure the FO would go in that direction if he did OK it. The NYK don’t live in their own world. Like every other team, the NYK need to figure out a long term payroll that allows them to operate effectively under the league’s current CBA. Not any prior one.
Dolan absolutely is a factor if he continues to implement his own hard cap.
You might not want to talk about it anymore but every day he makes a decision that makes the team worse than it could be.
Its hard to plan long term when the owner makes dramatic changes like adding a hard cap with no notice.