The team says it will not negotiate new deals until later in the season, leaving both players' futures unsettled as the title defense begins.
The Knicks announced Friday that contract extension talks with Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart and other players are on hold for now. The team said in a statement that its focus is on preparing for the upcoming season, adding that it will not be negotiating extensions until later in the season.
Towns has been the most outspoken of the group about where things stand, while Hart has also been vocal about not yet receiving a new deal. The pause comes just months after Towns helped the Knicks win an NBA championship, a title that marked a milestone for both the center and the franchise.
A sizable gap reportedly remains between the sides in those discussions, which is part of why the organization is choosing to wait. For now, both Towns and Hart head into the season defending a championship without the contract certainty they had been seeking.
The Knicks have not given a specific timeline beyond "later in the season" for when talks might resume.