The Knicks have already made several blockbuster moves this off-season, sending five first-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges and extending OG Anunoby on a deal worth over $40 million per season.
Knicks’ Contract Considerations and Financial Strategy
The Knicks still need to address the contracts of Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle if they want to secure them long-term. Currently, they have some flexibility, but according to CP The Franchise of Knicks Fan TV, they are also considering acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Karl-Anthony Towns: A Costly Prospect
Towns is coming off a strong season with Minnesota, but his contract is hefty and would put the Knicks in a challenging financial situation. He is entering a four-year, $220.4 million deal with a $49.2 million cap hit next season. The Knicks can’t afford that amount unless they offload a current player and reach the second salary apron at $189.5 million. Even then, trading Mitchell Robinson and reaching the second apron would leave around $31.8 million in available salary space, so moving Randle might be necessary.
Towns’ Impact and Fit with the Knicks
Minnesota likely can’t sustain Towns’ current deal due to financial restraints, making the Knicks potential suitors. However, they would need to get creative and possibly break up some of their core players to finalize the deal. Last season, Towns averaged 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, three assists, and shot .504 from the field and .416 from downtown, earning another All-Star nod. Despite his strong season, his playoff performance was inconsistent.
Assessing Alternative Options
While acquiring Towns would be a significant move, adding another high-volume scorer might be excessive for the Knicks. Instead, they have been linked to Walker Kessler of the Utah Jazz as a primary rebounding center with blocking qualities.
Strategic Decisions Ahead
Maintaining the current roster and complementing Robinson seems like a better strategy than taking on Towns’ contract, which will pay him $61 million during the 2027–28 season when he’s 32 years old on a player option. Such an acquisition could be more detrimental than beneficial to their playoff aspirations.
