BUSINESSNBA

Karl-Anthony Towns says extension negotiations with Knicks 'don't look good' as two sides remain apart on deal

Towns expected a contract to be quickly worked out easily after his playoff showcase, but it's now clear that will not come before the season begins Karl-Anthony Towns was on top of the world this summer after helping deliver New York its first NBA title in more than 50 years. The New Jersey native was sensational in the playoffs and assumed that performance would make it pretty easy to negotiate a deal this summer to remain with the Knicks long-term. With the start of the 2026-27 season on the horizon, that has proved not to be the case and the Knicks' star big man offered a disappointing update on extension talks on Monday ahead of New York's preseason opener in Philly. "It don't look good," said Towns of getting an extension done before the season, perThe Athletic. "... Simply put, I want to do something that can keep the team together and work with the Knicks and also values me. None of those things have come close to happening." The Knicks face the same dilemma that many recent championship teams have: under the current collective bargaining agreement and the second-apron restrictions, it is extremely difficult to retain top talent and keep a championship core intact. To be clear, this is a problem of the NBA's own construction, as the aprons were fought for by the owners and (many would argue, foolishly) without strong enough pushback from the players' association.

By Robby KallandOctober 5, 2026CBS Sports

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The stalling of extension talks for Karl-Anthony Towns introduces uncertainty into his tenure with the Knicks. This public friction could affect his market sentiment as stakeholders weigh his performance against the potential for a mid-season roster shift.

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Karl-Anthony Towns

NBA · New York Knicks

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News Analysis: Amid the Chargers' chaos, one thing is certain: Justin Herbert won't be traded

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert reacts during a loss to the Denver Broncos at SoFi Stadium on Oct. 11. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times) This is not the perfect spiral the Chargers were expecting. It's a downward one. Week after week, loss after loss. They are 0-6 for the first time since 2000, back when Jim Harbaugh was one of their quarterbacks, not their head coach. So even though they're rested after a week off, they're also on edge heading into Sunday's game against the Rams. On the outside, speculation has been swirling for weeks about what the sinking franchise can do — not so much to stop its current slide, as the season is already shot, but moving forward beyond this year. So far, the switch to Mike McDaniel as offensive coordinator has been disastrous, and there's even conjecture the team could look to trade quarterback Justin Herbert, who has gone eight consecutive games with at least as many interceptions as touchdowns in each. The franchise is built around Herbert, mind you, and Harbaugh has predicted he'll one day be regarded as the best quarterback in NFL history. So the notion of trading him is beyond blasphemous. That's not to say clubs don't make dramatic and surprising moves. With the trade deadline a week from Tuesday, the 2-5 Indianapolis Colts are already starting to disassemble their roster. Last week, they traded eight-time Pro Bowl guard Quenton Nelson to Seattle, and dealt star defensive tackle DeForest Buckner back to San Francisco, the team that drafted him.

Justin Herbert· Los Angeles Chargers

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