4-year, $270 million! Full max salary falls through! Knicks trade at fastest speed

A common problem for championship teams is that it's difficult to maintain the core roster...

Reporter Siegel reported that:Next season, Towns' salary will account for about 34% of the salary cap, the highest on the Knicks, and if he wants an extension, he would need to take a significant pay cut.

Prior to this, a reporter revealed that the Knicks will not offer Towns a full max extension; Towns is currently eligible to sign a contract worth up to 4-year, $272 million, and his previous contract was a 4-year, $220 million deal signed in the summer of 2022.

As mentioned above, if Towns wants to continue getting a max salary, he may have to change teams, and the Knicks certainly don't want to lose him for nothing, so a trade might become an unavoidable choice.

This guy was born on November 15, 1995, is a power forward/center standing 2.13m tall with a 2.22m wingspan, the No. 1 pick in the 2015 draft. In the regular season last season, he averaged 20.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 3 assists per game, with shooting percentages of 50.1%, 36.8%, and 85.8%. In this year's playoffs, he averaged 15.9 points, 10.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.3 blocks, with shooting percentages of 55.1%, 45.6%, and 90.9%.

It is worth noting that the Knicks' backcourt core, Jalen Brunson, reached a 4-year, $156.5 million early extension with the Knicks in the summer of 2024, leaving $113 million on the table. This move helped the team successfully build a championship roster and fulfill their dream this year, so many people outside are calling for Towns to follow suit and take a pay cut.

By the way, according to salary cap expert Bobby Marks:Brunson will be eligible to sign a 4-year, $254 million early extension next summer, and by the 2028 offseason, he could sign a 5-year, $371 million supermax contract.

Brunson is currently 29 years old. In the regular season last season, he averaged 26 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 6.8 assists, with shooting percentages of 46.7%, 36.9%, and 84.1%. In this year's playoffs, he averaged 28.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, with shooting percentages of 46.5%, 36.3%, and 84.6%, and won the Finals MVP.

This second-round pick (33rd overall) from the 2018 draft is undoubtedly the best point guard in the East and even the entire league right now. As long as he stays healthy, he is absolutely worth any full max contract.

In short, if the Knicks are forced to choose between Towns and Brunson, it's a no-brainer.