By most accounts, Karl-Anthony Towns had an incredible first season in New York, earning a spot on an All-NBA team while averaging 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game, as well as shooting 42 percent from three. Now, with Mike Brown stepping in as the Knicks' next head coach, one of the biggest questions is if he will be able to unlock a playmaking element in Towns' game that he hasn't previously shown.
Towns isn't a bad passer by any means, but he was rarely put in a position to be a playmaking hub on offense under Tom Thibodeau. There is also the fact that he doesn't naturally pass very well out of drives, and sometimes struggles making reads when doubled as well.
If there is any coach in the league who is equipped to get the very best out of Towns in that respect, it is Brown, who has a history of coaching some of the game's more elite playmaking bigs during his time in Cleveland, Golden State, and Sacramento.
Brown's history in this department speaks for itself
Brown has spent time coaching elite passing bigs such as Draymond Green with the Warriors and Domantas Sabonis with the Kings. He was obsessed with having Green run the offense as a point-forward with the Warriors, and the Kings' entire offense centered around Sabonis being a playmaking hub in the frontcourt.
Now, I am not suggesting that Brown is going to turn Towns into a similar playmaker to either Green or Sabonis, which would be completely unrealistic. That said, Brown could put him in better positions to play make from the elbow or high post.
Could help Towns stay more involved on offense
There are signs that Brown wants the offense to flow more freely this year. That doesn't just mean getting out in transition or running faster, it means more passes and quicker decisions as well.
If Towns gets involved more as a passing hub, it could help keep him more involved mentally. There were times last season, specifically in the playoffs, where Towns would dissociate, for lack of a better term. When he wasn't getting post touches or spot-up threes, he had very little involvement on offense for huge stretches.
If Brown is able to get him touches as a passer, it could help him to stay mentally involved in the game. On top of that, it will help get Jalen Brunson spells of playing off of the ball, which will give him efficient looks and help him conserve energy.