Once the New York Knicks finally settle on a starting five for the 2025-26 season, their decision will be, above all else, a referendum on Karl-Anthony Towns.
Questions surrounding the best use of him continue to dominate discourse nearly one year after the team traded for him. Yes, the offense for the most part popped. He averaged 24.4 points and 3.1 assists on 63 true shooting, and earned the third All-NBA selection of his career. A recurring hesitance to bombs away from deep or attack smaller wings infuriated fans, but his dynamism unlocked new doors, and there’s room for him to get even better under new head coach Mike Brown.
Still, New York collided head first with an existential dilemma during its Eastern Conference Finals run: Should KAT start at center, or alongside Mitchell Robinson? And if the answer is the latter, how much time can he, and should he, actually be spending at the 5?
The Knicks’ starting five will be a tell-all
Subtle messaging that followed the Guerschon Yabusele signing suggested the Knicks were leaning towards starting a frontcourt of KAT and Robinson. In the weeks since, the idea of catering to the offense has gained more traction. Going that route would potentially be good news for Deuce McBride.
There is even a chance the Knicks just stick with Josh Hart. Last year’s starting five proved to be wildly underwhelming, but chemistry can take time. And there’s something to be said about rolling out your five best players to begin games.
Whatever New York decides, it will telegraph how the organization feels about Towns. Slotting him beside Robinson proves the Knicks don’t see a pathway to league-average defense with KAT at center, and Jalen Brunson at point guard.
Starting him next to Hart or McBride, on the other hand, is an investment in the offense. And if the answer is Deuce, it’s a real investment in five-out spacing.
Opening games with a one-big look would likewise say a great deal about the Knicks’ trust—or lack thereof—in KAT punishing unique matchups at the other end. He struggled to capitalize for pretty much all of last season when wings defended him. He should face more of those situations if teams can default big-man assignments to Robinson, or even Hart.
New York has a lot riding on answering these questions
Solving this dilemma may require experimentation, along with trial and error. The ultimate answer, though, may decide Towns’ future in New York.
The 29-year-old big man is extension eligible right now. You can bet your bottom dollar he isn’t getting one. With another two seasons to go before his 2026-27 player option, there’s no rush. More importantly, the Knicks need to figure out who they’re paying.
Doubling down on Towns beyond this season gets harder to justify if they don’t view him as a full-time 5. That is where he’s most lethal on offense, if only because his spacing and driving are larger anomalies. Committing more than 30 percent of the salary cap to a power forward who can’t scale down to guard wings is an altogether different commitment.
If it turns out dual-big lineups are the best way to optimize this year’s squad, the Knicks should not hesitate to lean into them. At the same, if that’s the case, they may need to start rethinking their future with Towns, too.