When the New York Knicks acquired Karl-Anthony Towns, the vision was clear: add a superstar big man who could anchor the offense. What wasn’t as clear was how best to use him.
Last season, Towns was deployed primarily as a traditional five, handling the responsibilities of rim protection and rebounding. While capable, those duties often pulled him away from maximizing what makes him truly special — his offensive skill set.
Now, with both Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson expected to be healthy, the Knicks have the flexibility to shift Towns back and forth between the four and five. That ability to toggle roles could unlock a new version of the Knicks’ offense under head coach Mike Brown.
Balancing KAT’s strengths and weaknesses
Towns has always been known as one of the league’s premier scoring bigs, with elite shooting touch and floor-spacing ability. But when locked in at the center position full time, the defensive shortcomings — particularly protecting the rim against more physical centers — tend to stand out.
That’s where Robinson enters the equation. When healthy, he’s among the NBA’s most dominant interior defenders and offensive rebounders. His ability to control the glass gives Towns more freedom to roam offensively, step into pick-and-pop situations, and conserve energy on defense. It’s a dynamic the Knicks didn’t have consistently last year.
Josh Hart, meanwhile, provides his trademark hustle and versatility, capable of sliding into small-ball lineups where Towns resumes his traditional five role. The key for Brown is being able to mix and match depending on the opponent.
KAT on finding his role
Towns himself has spoken openly about the benefit of having Hart and Robinson alongside him.
“With Josh, I step into my traditional center role, which is something I’ve been known for early in my career and recent in my career I’ve been playing as four, too,” Towns said. “With Mitch, it allows me to kind of tap into that experience and [at the four], I’ve found ways to be successful. Just different ways of attacking and different ways we could play our game and be playing Knicks basketball. So regardless of if it’s Josh in the game or it is Mitch in the game, I feel very confident with either one of them, that we have a great chance of winning.”
It’s a glimpse into his mindset: adaptable, confident, and ready to embrace whatever role gives the Knicks the best chance to win.
Unlocking Knicks basketball under Mike Brown
The biggest shift from Tom Thibodeau’s system to Mike Brown’s will be pace and ball movement. With Towns capable of spacing the floor as a power forward, the Knicks can run a more fluid, free-flowing offense. Having Robinson as the rim protector also means KAT won’t be forced to shoulder heavy defensive responsibilities, which has historically led to lapses.
Think of it as playing chess instead of checkers. Instead of locking Towns into one rigid role, the Knicks can now dictate matchups — using him as a stretch four to punish slower defenders or sliding him to the five when Hart provides extra rebounding and toughness on the wing.
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A new ceiling for the Knicks
The combination of Towns’ offensive brilliance, Robinson’s defensive dominance, and Hart’s versatility gives New York options it hasn’t had in years. For a team chasing an NBA Finals appearance, the ability to deploy lineups that maximize each player’s strengths could be the difference between being a contender and being a true powerhouse.
Towns may have been the centerpiece addition, but how the Knicks use him alongside Hart and Robinson will ultimately determine just how far they can go.
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