If the New York Knicks felt an addition by subtraction approach with Karl-Anthony Towns was best for the team, a new report offers a way to move him while freeing up a bunch of future cap space.
This has been a very frustrating last month for the NY Knicks. After looking like one of the best teams in the NBA and winning the Emirates NBA Cup during the first half, the team starts the week with a 27-18 record after going 4-8 in January. They are now fourth in the Eastern Conference and just three games out from being in a play-in spot.
This is not where this expensive team expected to be at this point in the season. It has created a lot of rumors and speculation about coach Mike Brown’s future and whether certain players need to be moved. The star that has had their name thrown in trade rumors the most is Towns because of frustration with his effort, defense, and decreased offensive numbers.
His performance this season makes a trade to move him and the remaining $118 million on his contract difficult before the Feb. 5 deadline. That is, unless there is a team that is in search of a star that can help take them from fighting for a play-in spot to one that is a legit top-six group in their conference.
Well, a new report seems to offer the NY Knicks that option.
Should NY Knicks try to trade Karl-Anthony Towns to the Bulls?
According to Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report, “Chicago is looking to improve postseason chances this season while adding young, athletic players to complement its core duo of Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis.”
While KAT doesn’t fit the goal of young and athletic, he is a bona fide top 20 player who immediately becomes the No. 1 option on the Bulls and elevates their chances of moving into the top six this season. They are currently just a game and a half out of the sixth seed in the East.
What makes a deal realistic for both teams is that Chicago has a bunch of expiring contracts. In a trade, the NY Knicks could get impact veterans like Nikola Vucevic, Coby White, and Kevin Huerter. Then let them all walk in the summer to free up a bunch of cap space to remodel the team.
It is certainly a risk for New York. But if they believe Towns is the biggest hurdle in being a more efficient group, moving him is a sensible option.
