New York Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns has become one of the Knicks’ most important pieces to the puzzle, and now he is preparing to expand his role even further.
Last season, Towns averaged 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game in his first with the Knicks. He spent the majority of the season playing the center position, where he’s played most of his career aside from his time spent with Rudy Gobert in Minnesota.
However, many have criticized Towns’ lack of rim protection and interior presence on the defensive side of the ball. As such, some believe that Mitchell Robinson should start at center, and Towns should start at power forward. The Knicks had previously experimented with this lineup in the past, but it was during the playoffs in a sort of desperate scenario.
Towns preparing to spend time at power forward
Nonetheless, Towns has been preparing to spend more time at power forward this season, even shedding some weight in order to be more prepared for time at the position, per Newsday’s Steve Popper. Towns had previously done this during his time in Minnesota.
The Knicks enter this season as potential title contenders in the Eastern Conference. Towns was crucial to the Knicks’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, and figures to be a key component to another run this season. With Towns in better shape to be more versatile, head coach Mike Brown can get more creative with his lineup construction, which could lead to better results on the court.