Throughout Tom Thibodeau’s tenure as head coach of the New York Knicks, they were known as a gritty, hard-nosed team, perennially finishing in the top ten of defensive efficiency. That was not the case last year, which could’ve been a factor when New York decided to move on from Thibs.
Karl-Anthony Towns, whom the Knicks acquired right before the start of the season from the Minnesota Timberwolves, is a renowned offensive player, but throughout his career has been maligned for his lack of defensive prowess.
His lackluster defense forced New York to pivot in the playoffs, moving Towns to power forward and starting backup center Mitchell Robinson at the five during their Conference Semifinals series against the Boston Celtics. If the Knicks want to improve defensively, should they try and move their seven-foot All-Star?
Knicks Trade Idea Ships Karl Anthony-Towns to the Spurs
In a trade idea proposed by Sports Illustrated’s Thomas Carelli, New York would send Towns to the San Antonio Spurs for a haul of draft picks and players, to form a formidable big man duo with Victor Wembanyama.
San Antonio Spurs Receive: Karl-Anthony Towns
New York Knicks Receive: Keldon Johnson, Harrison Barnes, Jeremy Sochan, 2029 1st Round Pick, 2031 1st Round Swap
“The Knicks are paying Karl-Anthony Towns a large sum of money. This is $53 Million this year, to be exact. They may love to keep him, but when a price is so high, you sell your asset. This team lacks many draft picks in the coming years, so they can deal Towns, fill his gap with Sochan and Barnes, and continue to build for the coming seasons.” Wrote Carelli.
While Towns certainly is a defensive liability, would it really make sense for the Knicks, who figure to be a favorite in the Eastern Conference in 2025-26, to move off their second leading scorer for picks and rotational players?
Probably not, but to Carelli’s point, Towns’ pricetag is high, and if New York feels they can get the same production from three players for less money, it may be a deal worth considering.
It would also supply them with draft capital to make another trade in the future for a superstar who could shake free, as they burned up most of those assets in the Mikal Bridges trade.
All-in-all, this would be a slam-dunk deal for the Spurs, while the Knicks would have to weigh the pros and cons before pulling the trigger.
