One of the most significant developments of the 2025 offseason was the report stating that Karl-Anthony Towns underwent surgery on his bothersome knee and finger. It was an equally troubling and encouraging report for the New York Knicks, as optimism at least stated that he'd be back at 100 percent for the 2025-26 season.
Nearly four months after the report surfaced, Towns utilized Media Day to inform those in attendance that he never actually underwent procedures for his finger or knee.
Towns has experienced issues with his knee in the past, including a surgery to repair a lateral meniscus tear in March of 2024. The aforementioned report stated that he suffered a bruised knee in the same leg during the 2025 NBA Playoffs, as well as ligament damage in a finger on his left hand.
In one of the most shocking moments from Towns' time speaking to the press, he definitively shut down the rumors that he had procedures on his knee and finger.
KAT said he had no procedures on his finger or knee this summer, despite reports saying the opposite.
— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) September 23, 2025
When asked if this means Towns has fully recovered from the ailments that were plaguing him, James L. Edwards III of The Athletic stated: "That's what he's saying to us."
Karl-Anthony Towns didn't actually undergo procedures on finger or knee
Towns produced a memorable first season with the Knicks. He appeared in 72 regular season games, averaging 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steal, and 2.0 three-point field goals made on .526/.420/.829 shooting. In the process, Towns earned All-Star and All-NBA Third Team honors.
Towns then proceeded to post his highest postseason scoring average since 2022 at 21.4 points per game as the Knicks reached the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years.
Unfortunately, there was uncertainty coming out of the 2024-25 season as to the state of Towns' health. He suffered a bone chip and a sprained thumb in his shooting hand in January, and appeared to suffer finger and knee injuries during Game 3 of the Knicks' second-round series against the Boston Celtics.
With this in mind, most merely accepted it as an inevitability when the report surfaced that he had undergone treatment for the injuries that had been plaguing him.
It appears as though Towns has recovered without the need for surgery, however, and will now enter 2025-26 with a clean bill of health. That's all the Knicks can hope for, as they're preparing for a season that will produce a level of expectations they're not accustomed to carrying.
With Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum expected to miss the 2025-26 season due to their respective Achilles injuries, the Knicks have suddenly emerged as favorites to reach the NBA Finals.
Doing so will require Towns to take his game to an even higher level under new head coach Mike Brown. New York has made sweeping improvements to its roster, but Towns' offense is an undeniably crucial element of what they hope to achieve.
With Towns back at 100 percent, the Knicks will undoubtedly lean on him for another All-NBA season as they prepare for the type of pressure that has broken many teams before them.