The war of words between the New York Knicks and Karl-Anthony Towns remains ongoing.
The star centre said Sunday he is "very disappointed" after the Knicks announced they would not talk contract extension until later in the season on Friday.
"It was news to me. Very disappointed to say the least. Let's state the obvious: it's business, but there is business on the court for us to handle," Towns said, per James Edwards III of The Athletic.
The Knicks won their first NBA championship since 1973 in June but owner James Dolan said shortly afterward the team would avoid spending enough to trigger the penalties that come when a team reaches the second apron of the salary cap.
Josh Hart is also eligible to sign an extension alongside Towns.
“As an organization, our entire focus is on preparing for the upcoming season and delivering another year for our fans to be proud of," the Knicks said in a statement. "As a result, we will not be negotiating contract extensions until later in the season and will remain solely focused on preparing for the start of the season."
Towns, 30, is eligible to sign a four-year, $277-million extension that would kick in next season, when he has a $61-million player option on his current deal.
However, the Knicks reportedly only offered the star centre four years and $200 million, well below the max, before stopping negotiations altogether.
"Simply put, I want to do something to keep the team together and can work with the Knicks and also values me," Towns said Monday. "And none of those things are close to happening."
Towns, acquired in a stunning pre-season trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves two years ago, was an integral part of the Knicks' championship run, averaging a 15.9-point, 10.6-rebound double-double across 19 playoff games.
Those numbers were down, however, from his regular-season per-game averages of 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds.
Towns said he should be rewarded for his post-season play.
"No s--- Sherlock. I just won a championship. You’d think it was pretty easy. Unless you guys (reporters) think I have something else to prove," Towns said.
The Knicks open their season on Oct. 20 against LeBron James and the Philadelphia 76ers.
