Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns, Heat, Dru Smith, Warriors

Knicks

Karl-Anthony Towns is eligible to add two more years onto his current deal with the Knicks, but there’s been little movement on that front this NBA offseason.

As Stefan Bondy of the New York Post points out, Towns has until October 20 to sign an extension. His current contract runs through the 2026-27 season and includes a $61 million player option for 2027-28.

A max extension would be worth $150 million over two years, but there’s no indication that talks are underway. Bondy reports that Towns’ agent didn’t respond to a request for comment, and team president Leon Rose rarely speaks publicly.

Bondy suggests the likeliest outcome is that Towns plays out his current contract, possibly even exercising the option before negotiating a new deal. While Towns is a four-time All-Star, committing $75 million annually could be a difficult call for the Knicks as teams across the league look to avoid the restrictions of the second apron.

There are also basketball questions to be answered. Can Towns stay healthier than he did in Minnesota? Will his chemistry with Jalen Brunson continue to grow? Can he hold up better defensively in the pick-and-roll? And does his long-term future fit more as a center or a power forward?

For now, the extension chatter is quiet, with the deadline approaching

Heat

The Heat are bringing back guard Dru Smith, announcing Saturday that the restricted free agent has signed a three-year contract with the team.

The deal is worth $7.9 million, according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, aligning with the veteran’s minimum. Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports that the first year is fully guaranteed, while the final two seasons include conditional guarantees.

Miami created the roster space for Smith by trading forward Haywood Highsmith to Brooklyn on Friday, a move that shed $5.6 million in salary and allowed the Heat to stay under the cap.

Smith, 27, was off to a promising start last season before suffering a torn Achilles in December. Despite the setback, Miami kept him on a two-way contract for the remainder of the year and believes he can be fully healthy by the season opener on October 22, or shortly after.

In 14 games, Smith averaged 6.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.5 steals in 19 minutes per game while shooting 51 percent from the floor and 53 percent from beyond the arc.

His improvement as a perimeter threat helped him carve out a consistent role, logging double-digit minutes in eight straight appearances before the injury. He even closed games, playing the entire fourth quarter in five of his last seven outings.

Smith first joined Miami on a two-way contract in 2022, then briefly played for the Nets before returning to the Heat in 2023. He earned a standard contract to open last season, but injuries — including an ACL sprain in November — have slowed his progress.

Warriors

Warriors coach Steve Kerr acknowledged the difficulties of developing young players in today’s NBA, pointing to the lack of practice time during a busy schedule.

“We don’t practice anymore,” Kerr said during an appearance on the Glue Guys Podcast. “So we have to develop these 19-year-old kids who are coming into the league without much practice time. Frankly, I’m not great — I’m an older coach. So I lean on the young coaches.”

— Kent Lacob, Golden State’s vice president of basketball development, is leaving the organization. Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic reported that the decision was not an easy one, noting the challenges Lacob faced in delivering the news to his father, Warriors owner Joe Lacob.

— We have the latest on the Warriors and their contract situation with Jonathan Kuminga right here: It’s bad for both.

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