The New York Knicks reportedly heard from the Washington Wizards about All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns ahead of Thursday's trade deadline. Before trading for another Kentucky big in Anthony Davis, they inquired with the Knicks about the availability of Towns, according to Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer. While the two sides clearly didn't reach an agreement, it was an indication for New York of what Towns' value is at the moment.
Wizards check with Knicks on six-time All-Star center
Fischer dropped the report on a Wednesday live stream for Bleacher Report, saying that Washington's front office didn't only have Davis in mind when looking to acquire a star big man.
"I also heard the Wizards called New York in a similar capacity, about this type of framework for Karl-Anthony Towns," Fischer told viewers of his notebook stream.
It makes plenty of sense that the Wizards would try for Towns before Davis, given recent reports of general discontent from the big man regarding his inclusion in potential trade packages for Giannis Antetokounmpo. It also makes sense that the Knicks, looking to compete for a championship, weren't interested in swapping the recently-named All-Star reserve for draft capital.
Swapping Towns for picks clearly wasn't enough for Giannis
While the picks the team received in return could potentially prove useful in a separate deal for Antetokounmpo, it's clear the Knicks didn't view them as the only thing stopping them from acquiring Milwaukee's superstar. Otherwise, they likely would have looped the Bucks into a three-team deal and have already acquired Antetokounmpo.
Trading Towns for draft capital was too big of a risk to take for the Knicks' front office, who can't afford to lose a star without getting one back. It doesn't make sense for them to deal Towns for anything other than a clear upgrade, which Antetokounmpo would certainly deliver. However, with the picks clearly not being enough to get a deal done, New York seems to have rebuffed their advances.
Washington went on to trade assets for Davis, who joins Trae Young on a new-look roster that is suddenly ready to contend for playoff seeding in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks, though, can keep the knowledge they gained from the reported discussion with Washington.
They have an idea of what Towns would be worth to a team looking to poach him from their roster, which is useful data to have and reference in any other potential trade talks. Numerous reports have intimated that, unless the Knicks are getting Giannis in return, Towns isn't going to be traded anywhere ahead of the deadline.
That doesn't have to stop the Knicks from learning things about their roster, and how other teams value their players.