If the KAT-Knicks Negotiations Continue To Sour, The Atlanta Hawks Should Pounce Next Summer

The New York Knicks are the kings of the NBA and ended their long championship drought in June with one of the most dominant playoff runs in the history of the league. It was a culmination of a series of moves to put the franchise in the best position to make that run and one would think that despite the second apron concerns, they would want to keep this group together for as long as possible.

Mitchell Robinson left for the Boston Celtics this summer, but he was the only major departure. However, negotiations between the Knicks and star center Karl-Anthony Towns are reportedly not going well, with the Knicks offering Towns a four-year, $200 million extension according to the latest ESPN report:

"And since the NBA Finals concluded in June, Towns has been eligible for one: a four-year, $276 million contract extension that would keep him with the defending champs through the 2030-31 season. However, as sources told ESPN's Shams Charania, the Knicks' latest offer to Towns was a four-year deal worth approximately $200 million.

The reason: A max contract for the 30-year-old All-Star center would introduce major second apron concerns, a space Knicks owner James Dolan has shown no interest in occupying. Towns, for his part, says he is willing to meet somewhere in the middle."

While nothing is going to happen anytime soon (I think?), things could get interesting next offseason, and there is a team that could pounce on this opportunity to add an elite player, and that team is the Atlanta Hawks, the team the Knicks defeated in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

Making the case for the Hawks to add Towns

Karl-Anthony Towns New York Knicks — Oct 5, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) in action against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Hawks have a lot of young talent on their roster, but they might be missing the top level scorer and elite offensive bucket getter to round out their team. Jalen Johnson just had an All-NBA season; Nickeil Alexander-Walker won the Most Improved Player Award; Dyson Daniels is one of the elite defenders in the league; Onyeka Okongwu is one of the most underrated centers in the NBA; Kingston Flemings has star potential at point guard.

But if nobody on the roster can take the leap to becoming a No. 1 option on a championship team, Atlanta is in position to make a big move.

The Hawks have a large amount of expiring contracts on their roster and are projected to have the 7th most cap space in the NBA next offseason. If Towns and the Knicks don't come to an agreement on an extension and he declines his $61 million player option for next season to enter free agency, Atlanta would be the perfect team to make a play for Towns to give him a chance to elevate them to true championship contention, weakening an Eastern Conference Rival, and not giving up any assets to obtain him.

I wrote recently about the Hawks potentially pursuing Jalen Duren and how they should hope he gets to free agency instead of a sign-and-trade due to not having to give up any assets for him as a free agent and that same sentiment applies to Towns.

If the Hawks could just sign him as a free agent without having to give up any draft picks or any high-level talent, they make themselves better without also giving the Knicks something in return.

Now, is Towns worth a massive contract? If he plays the way he did during the playoffs, then absolutely. Dating back to his days in Minnesota, the biggest criticism about Towns was his defense. During these last two playoffs, this past one especially, Towns was not only a passable defender, but a very good one. In the series against the Hawks, he protected the rim well and was a phsyical presence that Atlanta could not deal with.

He is the second-best offensive center in the game, behind only Nikola Jokic. He can score at an elite level, have the offense run through him, and rebound very well. He fits the Hawks system because of his ability to stretch the floor and would not necessarily take away from Jalen Johnson and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.

Now, Towns could very well just decide to either extend with the Knicks before the season, opt of his option and then-resign on a different deal, or opt into the option and then extend with New York. Elite players don't really leave in free agency anymore and will Towns really leave an elite team he won a championship with? I am skeptical.

Real basketball is about to be played and conversations like this will be tabled until the offseason, but the worse this gets for the Knicks and Towns, the better it could be for the Hawks next summer.

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