Knicks’ Pursuit of Karl-Anthony Towns Won’t Improve Title Odds amid NBA Trade Rumors
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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.