Much of the NBA news lately has been devoted to the collapse of the relationship between Jalen Duren and the Pistons. Part of that conversation has been the Sacramento Kings, Duren's top destination if he doesn't stay in the Motor City. Not so fast as Karl-Anthony Towns is in the mix.
Just to catch you up on all the tomfoolery and shenanigans happening in Detroit, the situation between the team and their rising star center has gone way worse than anybody could have expected. This extension negotiation should have been a breakaway slam dunk for the Pistons.
Instead, it's something closer to Josh Hart botching the easiest layup in the world in the NBA Finals. Despite a performance so great it earned Duren both All-Star and All-NBA honors last season, Detroit decided to lowball him. They're reportedly concerned about his playoffs performance.
To be fair to Duren, the whole team fell apart in the playoffs. They barely got by the Magic in the first round. Now, the Pistons can't come to terms with Duren. The Kings have made it clear they want him if he hits free agency in the summer while the Bucks are making moves to get him right now.
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Apparently, Towns may be in a similar position with the Knicks. His current contract has two seasons left, with 2027-2028 being a player option. The two sides are working on an extension and are said to be tens of millions of dollars apart with their offers. On top of that, time will become an issue.
Towns wants to get this nailed down as soon as possible to focus on basketball. He also has until June 29, 2027, to let the Knicks know what he'll do with that option. He's expected to stay in New York, but he also knows that he'll be a highly sought after free agent if he chooses to leave.
That's where the Kings come in next offseason. The 30-year-old NBA Champion is a six-time All-Star, a three-time All-NBA Team member, and a former Rookie of the Year. Sacramento adding him to the roster adds immediate credibility to the rebuild the Kings are working on.
Even better, Towns would be a superb mentor for young centers like Maxime Raynaud and Dylan Cardwell. Raynaud, who is stretch forward like Towns, would benefit greatly from him being on the team. It might be a long-shot, but it's one worth considering if Towns bets on himself.
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