New York Knicks reportedly testing the trade market for Karl-Anthony Towns

After the blockbuster trade that brought Karl-Anthony Towns to Madison Square Garden in October 2024, the New York Knicks are already weighing pressing the eject button. According to Newsday’s Steve Popper, Knicks’ front office held preliminary discussions regarding potential deals for the four-time All-Star.

While Knicks initially viewed Towns as the missing piece to a championship puzzle, the combination of an inconsistent team chemistry and a super competitive Eastern Conference has Leon Rose exploring options with the Orlando Magic, Charlotte Hornets, and Memphis Grizzlies.The timing of these rumors is sending shockwaves through the fansbase but trading a talent of KAT’s caliber so soon suggests that the internal pressure to win right now has reached a boiling point.

The Knicks would want to regroup and replan their course of action, even if it means moving on from one of the most gifted shooting bigs.

Karl-Anthony Towns explores trade options

Trade options with Grizzlies, Hornets, and Magic offer a fascinating look at what Knicks might be looking for in return. The Orlando Magic, with young assets and defensive stalwarts, could offer a package centered around rim protection, something the Knicks have lacked since Mitchell Robinson’s injury woes.

Meanwhile, the Charlotte Hornets present an opportunity for New York to acquire multiple rotation players to boost their thinning bench.

The most intriguing wild card, however, is the Memphis Grizzlies. A frontcourt featuring Jaren Jackson Jr. and Karl-Anthony Towns would be a nightmare for opposing defenses to scout, but the cost for Memphis would likely involve high-level draft capital or a key piece of their core like Ja Morant.

Anyhow for Knicks, any deal with these three teams would be less about finding a star and more about finding the perfect fit.

Nova Knicks and Karl Anthony Towns

The elephant in the room remains the chemistry between Towns and the Nova Knicks core of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and Mikal Bridges. While Towns has put up respectable numbers (21.0 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 46.7% FGM), his defensive lapses and high salary-cap hit that would reach over $61 million in 2027-28, are becoming harder for the front office to ignore.

But if the Knicks pull the trigger on a trade and it doesn’t work out then it would be a massive miscalculation.But for Knicks fans, this news is a rollercoaster as one week, the team looks like a contender, and in the next, the front office is trading their one of the best players. The Knicks are 3rd in the East with a 25-18 record. Though they are currently experiencing back to back 4 losses, the expectation with them remains high.