Knicks dream frontcourt may collapse under one painful weakness

The Memphis Grizzlies caused the first big domino of the NBA offseason to fall by trading Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks, and one first-round pick swap. The shockwaves from the move included the birth of new rumors, including the possibility of the Knicks targeting Jaren Jackson Jr. While acquiring Jackson Jr. seems like a no-brainer, it involves one potential risk. Pairing him with Karl-Anthony Towns could expose the Knicks to lots of foul trouble.

First, it is important to note that initial reporting has indicated that the Grizzlies are not currently interested in moving Jackson Jr. or Ja Morant. So, unless that changes, it would likely take a serious offer from the Knicks for Memphis to change its stance.

That said, reporting from the Knicks' camp has indicated that not only have they been interested in Jackson Jr. for a long period of time, but they consider him to be a "dream pairing" alongside Towns.

The positive side of the pairing

It doesn't take much analysis to see why the Knicks would be fascinated with the idea of playing Jackson Jr. alongside Towns. Towns has many strengths, almost all of them are on the offensive side of the ball. The Knicks' center is not only one of the best shooting big men in the game today, but he is also one of the best shooting big men in the history of the game.

Last season was no exception, as Towns shot 42 percent from three on 4.7 attempts per game. For a player of his size, he has fantastic touch and feel, as capable of hitting off-balance baseline jumpers as is is of hitting contested threes.

For all of his offensive talents, Towns has as many defensive limitations. Those were on full display in the playoffs, as Towns was often out of place on pick-and-roll coverages or late rotating to a driving player. This is where Jackson Jr. comes in.

Jackson Jr. is one of the game's best defenders. He was the Defensive Player of the Year in the 2022-23 season and has made three All-Defensive teams in his young career. He is also no slouch on offense. Last season, he averaged 22.2 points, 2 assists, and 1.2 offensive rebounds per game, while shooting 37.5 percent from three.

An offense with two stretch bigs would be a nightmare for any defense to deal with. On top of that, Jackson Jr.'s defensive brilliance would help to insulate some of Towns' defensive flaws. That said, there are drawbacks.

Foul trouble galore

Towns and Jackson Jr. are tremendous talents; there is no denying it. One flaw that both of them share, however, is their tendency to commit unnecessary and careless fouls, often resulting in them being forced to the bench.

Last season, Towns and Jackson Jr. were second and third, respectively, in the league in terms of quarters missed due to being in foul trouble. While the positives the pair would bring could outweigh these thoughtless fouls, it is unquestionably something the Knicks would have to think about before making any potential trade.