Amid struggles since winning the NBA Cup in December, the New York Knicks have been rumored to trade star center Karl-Anthony Towns before the Feb. 5 deadline.
Knicks Mulling Karl-Anthony Towns Trade
The Knicks were 23-9 entering their final game of 2025.
Despite recently winning back-to-back games, New York has lost nine of its past 13 games and now sits fourth in the Eastern Conference standings.
Towns is one player in the Big Apple whose name has come up in trade talks.
“Behind the scenes, Knicks officials have tried to downplay any notion that Karl-Anthony Towns could be traded during the season amid New York’s (and Towns’) January struggles,” wrote NBA insider Marc Stein.
“However … A belief persists among some rival teams that Towns is in play to some degree. Or that the Knicks, at the very least, have tried to get a sense of what his market would be.”
Stein’s report also came a week after Steve Popper of Newsday reported that there’ve been “whispers” across the league about New York potentially fielding trade offers for Towns.
League sources told Popper the Knicks had already discussed Towns trade packages with multiple teams, including the Memphis Grizzlies, Orlando Magic, and Charlotte Hornets.
It’s unclear whether trade talks have been anything serious.
Towns, Brown Still Not Getting Along?
Towns, who New York acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a three-team trade in October 2024, has struggled to establish consistency under head coach Mike Brown.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported in December that Towns and Brown were “in a good place” after “early friction” in the coach’s first season with the team.
“Early on, there was some friction,” Windhorst said during The Hoop Collective podcast. “He is asked to do a little bit more gruntwork, he’s still having an excellent season. … He and Mike Brown are in a good place right now, from what I’m told.”
Even if things are now fine between Towns and Brown, the Knicks are in a surprising slump and have only nine days left to pull the trigger on an in-season trade.
There’s no telling where New York will finish in the standings under Brown.
Last season, Towns received his fifth All-Star selection and third All-NBA Third-Team nod of his career. The 7-footer averaged 24.4 points, a career-high 12.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals, and 35 minutes in 72 games.
Towns also helped lead New York to its first conference finals appearance since 2000.
Through 42 appearances this season, Towns is averaging 20.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 31.6 minutes per game while shooting a career-worst 46.9% from the field and 36.4% from beyond the arc.
