If it still hasn’t become clear by now, it probably should be: it is very hard to go back-to-back in the NBA. The new CBA has made sustained success extremely difficult, and we’re seeing more parity and shorter contention windows than ever. Each year, the Finals end and it feels like the champ is set up to dominate for years to come.
And then each year, we see that team crash and burn, only to get completely broken up shortly after. We saw it with the Bucks in 2021, the Warriors in 2022, the Nuggets in 2023, and the Celtics in 2024. None of those teams have come close to making it back to the promised land, and their rosters look completely different.
The Thunder seemed poised to buck the trend, but they fell short in the conference finals last season and now face some turmoil of their own. And now, after winning the title a few months ago, the Knicks look to be the class of the Eastern Conference. With Jalen Brunson’s discount contract, the vibes being through the roof in New York, and the power of friendship, you would have thought the good times would keep rolling forever.
Knicks already face turmoil with looming Karl-Anthony Towns extension
But their title defense hasn’t even begun yet, and apparently there’s already “a growing cloud around the New York Knicks,” according to Shams Charania of ESPN, who reported on Monday that the Knicks are asking Karl-Anthony Towns to take a massive discount on his next contract, and as things stand, the sides are nowhere close on a new deal.
He also added that they have a similar problem brewing with Josh Hart, that owner James Dolan remains steadfast in not going over the second apron, and that things may start to get uncomfortable around the February trade deadline.
KAT said as much to reporters on Monday morning as well: "Simply put – I want to do something to keep the team together and can work with the Knicks and also values me. And none of those things are close to happening."
It’s crazy to think this team that seemed so close and connected so recently could already be close to a breakup, but the NBA is still a business, and this is what happens when teams experience success and players need to be paid. Teams can’t dish out crazy luxury tax payments; they end up trying to squeeze their players, feelings get hurt, and changes are made.
Knicks may be forced to trade KAT before February deadline
Towns still has this season guaranteed and a player option for next season, but if the two sides can’t get closer to an extension, things could turn ugly, and they may have to consider the nuclear option of trading one of their best players.
And if that were to happen, the Eastern Conference would be completely wide open once again. Right now, the Knicks are in a tier of their own atop the East, but they’ve already lost Mitchell Robinson from their frontcourt, and if they lose KAT, they’ll be in big trouble. Surely they aren’t just going to lose him for nothing, but still, this is already shaping up to be a major issue for the defending champs, and the longer it drags on, the more it could affect the team.
It’s great news for the Celtics, who are looking as connected as they have in years and appear ready to attack the season and get back into contention. Their biggest hurdle in the conference is clearly the Knicks, but if KAT’s contract leads to them self-combusting, the path would be paved for Boston to get back on top.
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