The Knicks are fully committed. After landing Karl-Anthony Towns in a surprise blockbuster deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, New York is all in on competing for a championship.
After acquiring Towns and Mikal Bridges this offseason, New York’s cupboard is nearly bare. The core is set. Jalen Brunson is the team’s star with Towns as a complementary star. Bridges and OG Anunoby are complementary two-way wings. On the periphery are Josh Hart, Miles McBride and oft-injured center Mitchell Robinson.
The Knicks gave up a good amount to get Towns. Julius Randle was a three-time All-Star. Donte DiVincenzo broke the club’s franchise record for three-pointers made in a season. The first-round pick that New York sent to Minnesota via Detroit could have some value if the Pistons become a playoff team in the next couple of years.
The trade for Towns is really about Brunson. The Brunson-Randle partnership never felt symbiotic despite both players finding a good balance just before Randle’s season-ending shoulder injury in January.
They had a “your turn, my turn” style of play when on the floor together. Randle rarely screened for Brunson, partially because the Knicks always had a center clogging up the paint.
But Brunson and Towns together should be what the Knicks offense is built around. Towns’ three-point shooting is dangerous and should free up opportunities for Brunson to attack in space.
The seven-footer is just a shade under 40 percent from three during his career and knocked down 41.6 percent from three on 327 attempts last season. If teams switch a pick and roll, Towns can mash smaller defenders in the post, face up and attack line drives as well.
Towns’ presence should open up opportunities for New York’s other players too. Anunoby and Bridges are two of the best corner three-point shooters in the NBA and above average as off-the-ball cutters. The gravity that Brunson and Towns have should create looks for them.
Flaws and all
Towns does have his flaws. Though he did return late in the regular season, he is coming off a meniscus surgery on his left knee. Over the last five years, he’s missed 20 or more games in four seasons.
Towns’ defense has also always been a question. Though Towns has made some improvements as a defender, most of that growth occurred with great defenders like Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels covering up his weaknesses.
The Knicks do have Bridges, Anunoby, Hart and McBride as quality perimeter defenders, which should put less pressure on Towns to have to cover up everything in the paint.
In going from Randle to Towns, the Knicks have downgraded in one area, playmaking. For all of Randle’s warts, he averaged five assists a night last season and has averaged at least four dimes the last four seasons. Towns has improved as a passer, but he still has a penchant for silly decisions and wild offensive fouls.
Also, including DiVincenzo in the deal weakens New York’s depth. His three-point shooting became a real weapon and he’s a versatile two-guard that excels in many facets of the game.
Expect Josh Hart to start, though the Knicks could eventually play Towns and Robinson together in a two-center lineup when Robinson returns. New York’s bench is thinner and one or multiple injuries are a lot tougher for the club to stomach.
But this trade is worth the risk. New York’s formula for winning the past few years under Tom Thibodeau has been offensive rebounding. Creating extra possessions has helped the Knicks build a top-ten offense despite being 20th in true shooting percentage last season. Offensive rebounding was the x-factor in both of New York’s first-round series wins in 2024 and 2023.
Adding Towns changes that equation. With his ability to spread the floor, Towns won’t be hovering around the offensive glass in the way centers like Robinson, Isaiah Hartenstein and Nerlens Noel have done in the past. But to build a true title contender, New York needed to construct a half-court offense with better spacing and shotmaking.
To do that, the Knicks have sacrificed a lot. In making this trade, New York’s floor is a lot worse. Injuries and potential defensive issues could short-circuit a season. But after the trade, the team’s ceiling is higher. And as the franchise looks to compete for a championship, the addition of Towns gives them a realistic path to contention.