Knicks' Jalen Brunson sends strong message to Karl-Anthony Towns about contract extension originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The New York Knicks are going to be heavily watched this season, not just because they are the defending champions, but also because of what is happening internally. Players eligible for contract extensions had discussions before the season began, but negotiations can be risky at times.
The two main players involved in the discussions were Josh Hart and Karl-Anthony Towns. Both are major staples of the Knicks' roster. However, New York decided to pause all negotiations to focus on the regular season.
“As an organization, our entire focus is on preparing for the upcoming season and delivering another year for our fans to be proud of. As a result, we will not be negotiating contract extensions until later in the season and will remain solely focused on preparing for the start of the season," a Knicks spokesperson told ESPN's Shams Charania.
Towns has been the more vocal of the two about his displeasure with how things unfolded. Knicks superstar and Finals MVP Jalen Brunson let the media know how Towns and Hart would handle the situation.
“He's going to be professional. Not just him - everybody. Everyone's going to be professional and continue to do their jobs," Brunson said.
Towns knows he is going to have to take a pay cut, but he isn't going to accept a massive one. The veteran has been vocal about wanting to stay with the Knicks if he can get a contract that reflects his value. On Tuesday, in an interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews, Brunson made it clear what he wants Towns to do.
“Sign the contract,” Brunson told Andrews.
It is clear that Brunson wants Towns to stay, and so does the rest of the team. Towns is a well-respected player around the league, but he isn't going to settle for a contract worth significantly less than his value.
Brunson has sent a clear message that he wants a deal done, so it is now up to the organization to work things out with Towns. This Knicks roster is very connected, so there is little reason for the team to break up its core.
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