The future of Karl-Anthony Towns in New York City is a bit murky after the team tabled contract negotiations with their All-Star center until later in the season.

Towns is set to make $57 million this upcoming season, and then has to decide on his player option, which is worth $61 million, next offseason. If Towns decides to decline his player option, he would become an unrestricted free agent.

If Towns does hit unrestricted free agency next offseason, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN, the Golden State Warriors, Atlanta Hawks, and Los Angeles Clippers would be in the mix to make an offer for the 2026 NBA Champion.

Towns has said that he’s willing to accept a discount to remain with the New York Knicks, but the Knicks are reportedly offering around $50 million per season, which is a big step down from his $61 million player option, and too big of a discount for him to consider.

If he heads into unrestricted free agency, teams would need to clear cap space to present Towns with an offer that would be upwards of $55 million.

The Clippers would have roughly $47 million in cap holds next offseason, with Max Strus, Kris Dunn, Brook Lopez, and Derrick Jones Jr set to hit unrestricted free agency. Gradey Dick will be a restricted free agent and the team could let him walk without a qualifying offer.

They could create even more cap space if Brandon Ingram declines his $41 million player option, Bradly Beal declines his $6 million player option, and the team declines Rui Hachimura’s $14 team option.

Even if Ingram and Beal don’t decline their options, the team could find a way to move them for less money to add some flexibility.

They can create the cap space to make a competitive offer to Towns, but whether or not he would want to join the Clippers is a different question.

The other teams mentioned were the Warriors and the Hawks, and both of those teams present stronger championship cases than the Clippers, who are effectively in a rebuild.

Towns can join a young and hungry Atlanta team, while remaining in the East with a chance to haunt the Knicks, or link up with Steph Curry for one last run in his legendary career.

Both feel like better choices than trying to uplift a Clippers franchise that is struggling to stay afloat.