Karl-Anthony Towns' contract talks change nothing about where to draft him
Towns reportedly called the Knicks' four-year, $200 million offer unreasonable, but on the court he projects as a second-round player in 9-cat and a fair price in points leagues.
By Matt · 2 min read
Karl-Anthony TownsJalen BrunsonPhotos: NBAFreeKarl-Anthony Towns and the Knicks are not close on an extension. ESPN reported that New York offered four years and $200 million, which Towns views as unreasonable for a player eligible for a deal worth more than $276 million, and Newsweek and Yahoo Sports carried the same account along with Towns' own words: "I want to do something that can keep the team together and work with the Knicks and also values me. None of those things have come close to happening." The comparison everyone is making is Jalen Brunson, who took a four-year, $156.5 million extension in July and left money on the table to keep the roster together.
- Karl-Anthony Towns NYK26thvs 20th
- Jalen Brunson NYK21stvs 25th
None of that changes what Towns does on the floor this season. He is under contract for 2026-27 whatever happens in these talks. The fantasy question is only the one it always is with Towns, which is how much his rebounding and free-throw shooting are worth against what he does not do.
| Consensus | Highest board | Lowest board | Our rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Points (ESPN scoring) | 20th | 15th | 27th | 26th |
| 9-cat | 15th | 10th | 33rd | 17th |
What we project
We project 20.8 points, 12.1 rebounds, 1.5 threes and 85% at the line over 72 games in 31 minutes, almost exactly last season, when he played 75 games with 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds. That consistency is the case for him, since the projection asks for nothing he has not already done.
Points leagues: a fair price
On the points consensus Towns is 20th, with Leo and sinfhoops the high votes at 15th and James the low one at 27th. ESPN drafters were taking him around 21st in early October, which is right on the consensus, so there is no bargain and no trap. Under ESPN's scoring we have him 26th, a little lower, because he blocks only half a shot a night and a block is worth four points. Under Yahoo's scoring, which pays more for rebounds, we have him 16th, so the format of your league decides whether he is a value at that pick.
9-cat: the better buy
The categories boards like him more. He is 15th on the 9-cat consensus and 17th on our projections, and drafting him around 21st on ESPN is the cheaper side of that gap. The appeal is a center who shoots 85% from the line on more than five attempts a game, which helps a category most big men hurt, and who adds a three and a half. The cost is blocks, so pair him with a shot-blocker later in the draft.
What to do
Draft Towns where the consensus has him in points leagues and a round earlier in 9-cat, and ignore the contract headlines. If the talks turn sour enough to produce a trade request, the Weekly Slate and our projections will price the new role the day it happens, but a player who is unhappy about money and still on the team is the same fantasy player he was before.
Every player in this story is on the fantasy basketball rankings and the 2026-27 projections, and the NBA depth charts show where each one stands in his team’s rotation tonight.
