Karl-Anthony Towns: Moving Ahead to New York
It’s the end of a nine-year run for Karl-Anthony Towns and the Minnesota Timberwolves. The NBA news struck the world when it was announced that Towns was traded to the New York Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. The trade sparks a new beginning for the center as he furthers his career in the Big Apple.
They say there comes pressure when playing in Manhattan. The Knicks are one of the storied franchises in the NBA and are a Big Market. Playing in Madison Square Garden 41 times a year is a big thing when playing in front of notable celebrities like Spike Lee and many others. Winning is a standard in New York. They haven’t had a lot of it over the past few decades. However, any All-Star who wears orange and blue is expected to make the Knicks a contender.
Pressure has been something that Towns has had on him since coming into the NBA. Yes, he was drafted by a small market organization like the Timberwolves in 2015. However, he was joining a franchise that didn’t see the franchise in over a decade. Towns was expected to take the team to further heights. He had Kevin Garnett as his mentor as a rookie and had to be a leader for other younger talents like Andrew Wiggins, Zach Lavine, and others.
In nine seasons, Towns has had his ups and downs in Minnesota. There were moments when he was a dominant factor on both ends of the floor and could lead Minnesota to success. But there were also moments where Towns looked disengaged on the floor and not the best player. Towns’ inconsistency has often forced him to be out of conversations as the best center in the NBA alongside Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, etc.
One of the biggest things we’ve learned from Karl-Anthony Towns in his career is that he’s not a number-one option for a playoff contender. And that’s ok! Being the second leading man is a role he is comfortable in. For instance, the Timberwolves advanced to the Western Conference Finals this past season with Towns being the second man behind Anthony Edwards. He averaged 19.1 points and nine rebounds during the playoffs, which includes taking down the defending champion Denver Nuggets in game seven of the second round.
Towns will now begin a new tenure in New York. The Knicks have had recent success and have made the postseason in three of the past four seasons. Once again, Towns is expected to play as a second option behind All-Star guard Jalen Brunson. With his versatility at the center position, Towns is a great fit for the Knicks with his floor spacing, putting the ball on the floor, as well as playing inside the three-point line. The potential frontcourt of Towns and Mitchell Robinson could be a force to be reckoned with this season. They both provide a different dynamic that could complement each other perfectly.
Towns playing in New York could potentially place him in high regard with other great big men in Knicks history. Legends like Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, and others have all made their stamp in Knicks history as some of the greatest players in their franchise. The goal for Towns should be delivering a championship in New York. He has a great roster surrounding him and the Knicks could be a sleeper team in the Eastern Conference.
