Carmelo Anthony supports the Knicks' decision with Towns and Hart: "We're going to.."

The New York Knicks have decided to put contract negotiations with Karl-Anthony Towns and Josh Hart on hold to focus all their attention on basketball, a decision that has the backing of Carmelo Anthony. The franchise legend believes that the organization has acted correctly by postponing the discussions until a later stage of the season, with the aim of concentrating on defending the NBA title.

Anthony, who was one of the great stars of the Knicks during his Hall of Fame career, spoke on Monday about a situation that has generated some uncertainty in New York. Despite any differences that may exist between the players and the management, the former forward does not believe there is cause for alarm.

“I believe these are happier times. It’s just that everything is moving so fast right now: you have the chance to celebrate the championship and then you return to normal, right? Business has to continue,” Anthony explained during an appearance at NBC Sports studios, where he is preparing for his second season as an analyst on the NBA Showtime program.

The former player was even clearer in assessing the decision to halt the discussions. “I think it was important that they stopped the negotiations and made it clear that they will address it later, at the end of the season,” he noted.

Towns, disappointed with the Knicks' decision

The most delicate case is that of Karl-Anthony Towns. The center is in a position to sign a four-year, 276 million dollar contract extension, but negotiations have not progressed as he had hoped.

Towns, who has been an All-Star in the two seasons he has spent in New York, did not hide his disappointment after learning that the franchise had decided to suspend discussions. The player stated that the Knicks' announcement was a surprise to him and publicly acknowledged his displeasure with the situation.

The decision is particularly relevant due to the figures surrounding his contract. Towns will earn 57 million dollars this season and has a player option of 61.1 million for the 2027-28 season.

The possibility of securing a new long-term contract is on the table, but for now, the franchise prefers to avoid having the negotiations interfere with the team’s sports preparation.

Anthony, however, is confident that both parties can find a satisfactory solution. The former player knows well how the organization operates and has a long-standing relationship with Leon Rose, the current president of the Knicks, who was his representative when he arrived in New York in a trade in 2011.

Josh Hart will also have to wait

The situation for Josh Hart is similar, although the player has shown a less critical stance publicly. The forward will earn 21 million dollars this season, and the Knicks have a team option of 22.4 million for the 2027-28 season.

Hart has stated that he is not frustrated by the interruption of discussions. However, he had previously warned of the implications that a lack of progress could have leading up to the February trade deadline.

If the contractual situation is not resolved before that date, the context could take on new dimensions for the players and the franchise itself. For now, however, the Knicks have chosen to postpone negotiations and prevent the matter from becoming a distraction during the season.

Carmelo Anthony calls for a focus on basketball

For Anthony, the priority must be clear: put economic matters on the back burner and seize the opportunity to compete for another championship. The former player believes that both management and the two players understand the importance of maintaining focus on sports objectives.

“Whatever is going to happen, will happen. But right now, let’s make what’s most important the most important, and that is basketball. We are going to defend this championship. I think both sides understand that,” he stated.

His words reflect confidence that the relationship between the Knicks and their players can be maintained within a framework of respect, despite differences regarding future extensions.

New York thus faces a season in which it will have to manage two simultaneous objectives: compete for the title and resolve the contractual situations of two key pieces of its roster. For now, Carmelo Anthony believes that the best decision is to separate both matters and allow the team to concentrate on the court.

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