Reggie Miller weighed in on the ongoing contract situation between the Knicks and star Karl-Anthony Towns, warning that their hopes of repeating as champions aren’t helped by the drama.
“You hope behind closed doors the contract stuff doesn’t become an issue,” Miller said during an NBC media event in Stamford, according to Newsday.
He did commend the Knicks for having a “great chance of repeating” but warned that the Eastern Conference has gotten better and the Knicks have a bullseye on their back.
The situation with Towns is also another burden to bear.
The Knicks announced Friday that they were cutting off contract extension talks “until later in the season.”
It was a move that was lauded by Miller as a way to limit the distractions near the start of the season, which begins Oct. 20 against the 76ers.
“I like the Knicks coming out publicly and saying we’re going to table discussions until a later date,” Miller said. That doesn’t mean they’re not going to negotiate. It basically means you guys [media] can’t ask the players about their contract situation.”
Contract talks between the team and the player have started to take an acrimonious turn as the wide gap in negotiations has gone on.
Towns is eligible for a four-year, $277 million extension, but The Post’s Stefan Bondy reported the Knicks have offered him a four-year deal worth roughly $200 million.
game against the Timberwolves. NBAE via Getty Images
“If they want to be successful and they want to have a chance to repeat,” Miller said, “you’re going to need a healthy KAT mentally. You don’t want him being a malcontent, worrying about his contract behind closed doors. Because when KAT is at his best and on board, they’re hard to beat. … I think a deal will get done. It’s going to be between the 200 and the 277 [million dollars]. So meet in the middle, sign it, and let’s move on.”
Towns had some pointed comments Sunday, saying that the Knicks ending contract talks was “news to me” and that he was “very disappointed, to say the least.”
The big man did try to assuage some concerns about his focus by telling reporters “there’s still business to be handled,” even though the off-the-court business was not dealt with.
“After 53 years, we found a way to bring this trophy back to New York, and we intend for it to stay in New York,” Towns said.
