How do the New York Knicks really feel about their superstar center?
Less than 24 hours removed from New York’s elimination from the playoffs at the hands of the Indiana Pacers, negative reports are surfacing in connection to Karl-Anthony Towns.
Yahoo’s Kevin O’Connor didn’t hesitate on Saturday night to boldly assert that, “Trading KAT should be priority #1 for the Knicks,” a statement that divided Knicks fans everywhere.
In another Knicks report from The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III and Fred Katz that surfaced Friday, KAT wasn’t painted favorably.
Per the report, Knicks players and coaches were frustrated all season long with Towns’s defensive play.
“Publicly, Knicks players made veiled comments all season about poor communication causing their inconsistencies,” Edwards and Katz wrote.
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“Behind the scenes, they and coaches expressed frustration with Towns’ defensive habits — less concerned with his talent level and more with his process on that end. Too often, Towns executed incorrect coverages without communicating why he did it. After it became a theme, players worried Towns didn’t grasp the importance of the matter.”
What does one make of all the sudden KAT vitriol?
To be clear, O’Connor and others are (wisely) cashing in on a Knicks fanbase that is ultra-vulnerable at the moment, licking its wounds from falling six wins short of what would have been the franchise’s first NBA championship in 50-plus years.
On the other hand, O’Connor isn’t making some outlandish claim. If Towns’s defense and chemistry with New York aren’t optimal, the Knicks could very well decide to trade him this summer for assets that could help the club re-tool around Jalen Brunson and give things another go in 2025-26, a season in which the Boston Celtics will be without Jayson Tatum and the Eastern Conference, in general, will be weak.
Towns’s fit with the Knicks promises to be a talking point this offseason.
It was merely a couple of weeks ago that media outlets labeled the Knicks-Timberwolves trade involving Towns, Julius Randle, and Donte DiVincenzo a “win-win” for both teams. That was when New York and Minnesota were still in play to reach the Finals.
Somehow, a few losses later, everything about that narrative has been flushed down the drain.
We’re still at a point where emotions are clouding roster evaluation for both clubs. Knicks fans should let the dust settle on a successful, albeit ultimately disappointing season before deciding whether cutting ties with KAT after just one year is really the best move.
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