The New York Knicks are a hot topic in the news as they have several superstar players on their radar, but is one not worth the risk?
Does Karl-Anthony Towns’ History Pose Too Much of a Risk For The Knicks?
Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns has been linked as a potential trade target for the Knicks. Under contract until 2028, Towns presents an expensive option for general manager Leon Rose to consider.
The University of Kentucky product has established himself as an All-Star in the NBA and has excelled as an outside shooter for his size.
There’s more to Towns’ rap sheet than that. Towns underwhelmed against the Houston Rockets in their 2018 first-round playoff series. His 15-point, 13-rebound double-double only told half of the story, as his assertiveness left something to be desired in the intangibles department.
He and then-teammate Andrew Wiggins were labeled ‘soft’ by Jimmy Butler in practice earlier that season.
In the 2022 playoffs, the Wolves had a 2-1 lead over the Memphis Grizzlies, which they squandered, falling in six games to Ja Morant and company.
While much of their collapse was due to poor usage of timeouts and an inability to quell runs, Towns started the series off on a strong note before his play took a downturn.
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Towns possessed the gifts to reach superstardom in the NBA. The 2022-23 season was a year riddled with injuries for the former Three-Point Contest champion.
Towns only played 29 games last season and shot 36.6 percent from beyond the arc — his lowest percentage since his rookie season. The Wolves’ two-center experiment flopped, and Towns was unable to show how his game progressed from the prior campaign.
New York would have to give up much in the salary and talent department in order to snag Towns. He is due roughly $36 million this season before his contract balloons up to north of $50 million each ensuing year.
Mitchell Robinson has had his name swirl in trade rumors. He carries a $15 million salary into this year. Josh Hart is set to make $20 million, and RJ Barrett’s name brand, upside, and $25 million in yearly salary make for three Knicks that could be packaged along with draft assets for Towns should the Knicks look to keep their star duo of Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson intact.