Knicks' Pursuit of Karl-Anthony Towns Won't Improve Title Odds amid NBA Trade Rumors
The New York Knicks are searching for NBA stars.
And, no, this isn't a recycled article.
There is a reason this franchise has so often had elites on its radar, though. That's because hoops history long ago determined that championship contention is a near impossibility without superstar talent.
That's why the Knicks are again chasing premier players, with the New York Post's Stefan Bondy reporting they "are monitoring" Joel Embiid, Donovan Mitchell and Karl-Anthony Towns. While Towns' inclusion is not at all surprising—he is a former client of Knicks president Leon Rose—it's time for the Knicks to move on.
They need a superstar to improve their championship hopes, and he just doesn't fit the criteria.
He Is a Really Good Player, but They Need a Great One
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The Knicks have an All-Star in Julius Randle, a could-be All-Star in Jalen Brunson and, if everything goes according to plan, a rising star in RJ Barrett.
What they really need, though, is the kind of high-end needle-mover who elevates all the players around him and comfortably ranks inside the Association's top 10. That isn't Towns, who landed 23rd on our preseason rankings.
He is a skilled scorer, but he has limitations on the defensive end. He is a capable playmaker, but not someone who can lead a passing game (career 3.2 assists against 2.7 turnovers). He can put up numbers, but they seldom translate to team success. The Minnesota Timberwolves have three playoff trips and zero series wins to show for his first eight NBA seasons.
He might be the top option in New York, but if Randle and Brunson weren't moved in the deal, it would be more of a committee approach, since he isn't demonstrably better than the others.
He Could Demolish Their Asset Collection and Torpedo Any Future Pursuits
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If the Wolves decided to deal Towns, they'd want a healthy return on the trade.
While that's true of any team trading away a star, it's especially relevant to this squad, since it would need to account for all of the assets surrendered in last summer's Rudy Gobert trade.
Assuming a combination of picks and prospects would be required—not to mention the money needed to match Towns' $36 million salary—it could take a big enough chunk out of New York's asset collection to leave it too limited to chase another star down the line.
The Knicks don't have a high-end trade chip to dangle. Barrett maybe plateaued, Immanuel Quickley and Quentin Grimes are support players and none of New York's incoming picks will land at the top of the draft. The Knicks' best offer impresses more with quantity than quality, meaning one mega-move might be all they can afford.
The Knicks Would Still Be Looking Up at the East's Elites
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Barring injuries, it sure seems like the Eastern Conference is headed toward an inevitable showdown between the fully loaded Boston Celtics and equally stacked Milwaukee Bucks.
The Knicks getting Towns wouldn't change that, even if they kept Randle and Brunson out of the deal. That still isn't enough to hang with Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton or Boston's ferocious foursome of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis.
Moreover, it wouldn't even necessarily nudge New York out of the conference's congested midsection. Would the Knicks definitely be better than the Philadelphia 76ers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat? That's debatable. And that's without accounting for potential ascensions from teams like the Indiana Pacers, Brooklyn Nets and Atlanta Hawks.
If the Knicks are going to cash-in their trade chips, they need to have at least semi-realistic hopes of competing for the crown. Towns simply can't deliver that.
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