Breaking: The New York Knicks Are Interested In Trading For Karl-Anthony Towns This Off-Season.

The last time the New York Knicks made the playoffs was in 2013 where they eliminated the Boston Celtics but lost to the Indiana Pacers in the second round. Since 2014, the Knicks have failed to make the playoffs despite having that “superteam” roster in 2016. In an interview before the season started, Derrick Rose famously stated that the Knicks and Warriors are the only “superteams” in the NBA.

“They’re high,” Rose said to NBA.com. “I mean, with these teams right now, they’re saying us and Golden State are the super teams, and they’re trying not to build that many super teams and Adam Silver came out with the statement and this and that. … You’ve got Brandon (Jennings) who just signed for one year, he’s got to show why he’s there. I’ve got to show why I’m there. Joakim (Noah) has to show why he’s there. Everybody’s trying to prove themselves.” - Derrick Rose

While the Knicks looked great on paper, they ended up missing the playoffs that season with a record of 32-50. That roster had potential, but due to health and players like Joakim Noah dramatically declining as one of the elite centres in the NBA, the Knicks ended up being one of the biggest disappointments that season. However, this season, the Knicks have been spectacular as first-time All-Star Julius Randle has led them to their first potential playoff appearance. With a record 25-25, the Knicks stand as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference while being a game away from the fourth seed. The Eastern Conference is highly competitive this season, making every win crucial for the Knicks. Regardless if the Knicks make the playoffs or not this season, New York should be proud of what there franchise accomplished this season. 

Even though the Knicks are currently in the play-in tournament, they are a piece or two away from being valid contenders. With the news of the Minnesota Timberwolves looking to “shop” Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell this off-season, the Knicks may have found that piece to make them valid contenders. Former Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau would welcome a reunion with Towns as long as the Knicks are winning games. 

“I would be open to adding Towns to the roster, I just want to win.” - Tom Thibodeau

The idea of adding Towns to the New York Knicks would work spectacularly as they would possess one of the best front-courts in the NBA. Julius Randle and Karl-Anthony Towns would definitely be a playoff team in the Eastern Conference, but they would need a few other pieces to make this work. Both Towns and Randle are not vocal leaders or true playmakers. Even though Randle is averaging a career-high in assists, the Knicks would need to add a true playmaker like Rajon Rondo for this team to mesh fluently. The second piece this team would need is a strong scoring development from RJ Barrett. Barrett is having a great season this year and is one of the main reasons why the Knicks have had a successful season. However, Barrett needs to get even better unless the Knicks package him in the Karl-Anthony Towns trade. 

New York’s interest in Towns is understandable as he would be a dominant force at the center position. However, the Knicks simply lack the assets to trade as most of their roster is one-year contracts or super young. The only tangible assets the Knicks have to trade are Mitchell Robinson, who is on a two-year 1.6 million dollar contract, Immanuel Quickly, RJ Barrett, and first-round picks. While that is still a decent haul for Towns, it would most likely be declined by the Timberwolves as they have no use for a shooting guard/ small forward. Robinson is a talented center that is well-rounded defender but, he is nowhere near Towns. The only real value the Timberwolves receive from this trade are the draft picks, which is simply not enough for Karl-Anthony Towns. Unless the Knicks sign talented players during free-agency to trade for Towns, the Knicks will most likely be unsuccessful in completing a trade with Minnesota.