PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns said Monday the prospects of him getting a contract extension with the reigning NBA-champion New York Knicks before the start of the regular season were not looking good.
Opening night against the 76ers and the Knicks’ banner-raising celebration on Oct. 20 is a little over two weeks away.
Towns, who is set to turn 31 on Nov. 15, is eligible for a four-year, $276 million deal. He is due to make $57 million this season and has a $61.1 million player option for 2027-28.
Asked at the start of training camp how he would feel about negotiations extending into the season, Towns said, "In this situation, there’s no comfortability to be had.”
Towns is a six-time All-Star who averaged nearly 16 points and had more than 10 rebounds a game during the Knicks' first title run since 1973. He believes he should be rewarded for his role in winning it all.
"I want to do something that can keep the team together and work with the Knicks and also values me," Towns told reporters before the Knicks' preseason opener at Philadelphia.
Owner James Dolan has said the team would not go into the second spending apron. Big man Mitchell Robinson left New York after eight seasons to sign a three-year deal in free agency with rival Boston.
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FILE - New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns carries the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy after the team defeated the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5 of the NBA Finals basketball series June 13, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate, File)
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — For the second time in three nights this postseason, a roof got in the way.
Yankees rookie Spencer Jones hit a towering flyball off a catwalk at quirky Tropicana Field that was caught by Rays right fielder Victor Mesa Jr. for an out in the second inning of New York's 5-2 loss to Tampa Bay in Game 2 of their AL Division Series on Monday.
Jones kept running around the bases as the ball rattled around and fell to Mesa, who ran over to make the catch in center. Center fielder Jonny DeLuca thought he was camped under it but started pointing upward when the ball hit one of the two rings high above the field and below the roof. Mesa caught it several feet in front of DeLuca.
Umpires conferred and confirmed the out, per the stadium's ground rules.
The Rays lead the best-of-five series 2-0 and can close it out Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
It wasn't the first time a roof impacted play this postseason.
In the ninth inning of Milwaukee's 3-2 win over the Padres in Game 1 of their NL Division Series on Saturday night, San Diego's Ty France hit a high drive that appeared it might be headed over the left-field wall for a go-ahead homer until it struck a cable on the retractable roof of American Family Field in Milwaukee.
The ball then fell into the glove of Brewers left fielder Jackson Chourio on the warning track to retire the hitter.
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New York Yankees' Spencer Jones strikes out on a wild pitch by Boston Red Sox' Garrett Crochet during the sixth inning in Game 2 of baseball's American League Wild Card Series Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, left, talks with home plate umpire Jeremie Rehak after Yankees' Spencer Jones was called out on a fly ball that hit the ceiling of Tropicana Field
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone, right, talks with home plate umpire Jeremie Rehak (35) after Yankees' Spencer Jones was called out on a fly ball that hit the ceiling of Tropicana Field during the second inning in Game 2 of an American League Division Series baseball game against the Tampa Bay Rays Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Phelan Ebenhack)
Tampa Bay Rays right fielder Victor Mesa Jr., right, catches a fly ball hit by New York Yankees' Spencer Jones that hit the ceiling of Tropicana Field for an out as Rays second baseman Richie Palacios (1) watches during the second inning in Game 2 of an American League Division Series baseball game Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
Tampa Bay Rays right fielder Victor Mesa Jr., left, and Rays second baseman Richie Palacios, right, react after Mesa Jr. caught a fly ball hit by New York Yankees' Spencer Jones that hit the ceiling of Tropicana Field for an out during the second inning in Game 2 of an American League Division Series baseball game Monday, Oct. 5, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)
