The New York Knicks have been waiting patiently to strike at the right moment for a star. Last season the front office chose to pass on Donovan Mitchell, a decision they were clowned for. Now, any disgruntled star that could become available during the offseason has been linked to the Knicks whether it be Karl-Anthony Towns or Damian Lillard.
Towns is a player that New York has reportedly had previous interest in, and although he signed a supermax with the Timberwolves last summer, his name has popped up as a player that could be traded. He’s a CAA client, a New Jersey native, and he grew up as a Knicks fan. His connections with the organization aren’t enough for New York to trade for him, but the Knicks do have a former CAA agent at the top of their organization.
For a multitude of reasons, New York should stay away from Towns this summer if Minnesota does make him available. His contract would be a lot to take on, he doesn’t have a successful playoff resume, and his injury history should be a red flag. With Knicks fans eagerly waiting to learn which big-name star the team will trade for, adding KAT to the roster would be more of a disappointment.
Luckily, according to SNY’s Ian Begley, who was a guest on HoopsHype’s podcast, Karl-Anthony Towns interest within the front office doesn’t seem to be as high as it once was.
Will the Knicks pursue Karl-Anthony Towns if he becomes available via trade?
New York Daily News’ Stefan Bondy, who was also a guest on the podcast, said that he heard two years ago that Tom Thibodeau would welcome the opportunity to coach Karl-Anthony Towns again. Ian Begley followed that up with:
"Begley: From what I’ve heard from a couple of people in touch with them, they felt the temperature was a little down on the interest in Towns compared to where it was very early on in the Leon Rose tenure. How do you get better if you’re the Knicks? Are you doing minor tweaks and hoping for internal improvement? Or are you making a big swing? I’d assume this is the summer to make the big swing."
For Knicks fans, this should be good news. It doesn’t mean that a KAT trade won’t happen, but it’s reassuring to know that New York doesn’t seem to be ready to go all-in on Towns. He’d help the team with their three-point shooting woes, but as a star, it’s reasonable to assume that he wouldn’t move the needle much for the Knicks.
The offseason hasn’t officially begun, though. As New York fans know all too well, a lot can happen in one offseason. The Knicks trading for Towns wouldn’t come as a shock by any means, but it wouldn’t be a good move for a front office that has made a series of smart decisions in recent years.
If the Knicks didn’t want to put all of their chips on the table for Donovan Mitchell, why would they do so for Karl-Anthony Towns?
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