Knicks Shut Down Karl-anthony Towns Contract Talks Before Season

The Knicks have paused all contract extension negotiations – including their increasingly spicy back-and-forth with Karl-Anthony Towns.

Four days after Towns expressed frustration with what he intimated was an insulting offer, the Knicks released a statement Friday morning that attempted to temporarily put the kibosh on both negotiations and distractions.

It was further evidence that the sides weren’t close to an agreement before the regular-season opener Oct. 20.

“As an organization, our entire focus is on preparing for the upcoming season and delivering another year for our fans to be proud of,” a Knicks spokesperson said. “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.”

Josh Hart and Miles McBride, in addition to Towns, are currently eligible for extensions. They can negotiate until June but agreements are often settled before the season to avoid distractions.

Instead, the Knicks sent out a message that they are done talking – for now – as they navigate owner James Dolan’s mandate to stay under the second apron.

As The Post reported, the Knicks offered Towns four years and about $200 million, which is $77 million less than his max. He was willing to take a discount but not as drastic as New York’s proposal.

If Towns left the Knicks in free agency, the max he could make is $265 million over four years.

“Simply put: I want to do something to keep the team together and can work with the Knicks and also (a contract that) values me,” Towns said Monday. “And none of those things are close to happening.”

Asked if he expected to be rewarded after breaking the franchise’s 53-year title drought, Towns responded, “No s- -t, Sherlock. I just won a championship. You’d think it was pretty easy. Unless you guys (the reporters) think I have something else to prove.”

Towns, who will make $57 million this season, left Thursday’s preseason loss to the Wizards without speaking to the media.

He holds the leverage of a $61 million player option for next season. If there’s no extension agreement and he shines again this season, Towns can decline the option and seek a lucrative offer in 2027 free agency. If he struggles, Towns can pick up the option and play next season on the highest salary of his career.

Hart holds less leverage with a team option for next season. He said on Media Day that there was no progress on his extension negotiations and didn’t expect an agreement before the season started.

McBride has no options and, with no extension, will definitely become a free agent after the season.