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Knicks go all-in with Karl-Anthony Towns, but are they really that much better?

Knicks go all-in with Karl-Anthony Towns, but are they really that much better?

Vaseline 1 month ago

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - APRIL 23: Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves shoots against Bradley Beal #3 of the Phoenix Suns in the first quarter of game two of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs at Target Center on April 23, 2024 in Minneapolis , Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and/or using this photo, user agrees to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the best shooting big men in the league. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)

The New York Knicks decided that one blockbuster move wasn’t enough during their offseason, and they may have had one too many Villanova players days before training camp started.

And after all, what would the NBA be without a team trying to destroy the Earth with a deal right before the teams officially meet again for next season?

The Knicks will go all-in in June and acquire All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources confirm to Yahoo Sports. Outgoing, at least for now, appears to be Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round pick.

Randle is recovering from shoulder surgery after a nasty fall in late January, and Jalen Brunson left in his absence to help the Knicks come within a game of the Eastern Conference finals. He joins a team that took it a step further in the Timberwolves, who made it to the Western Conference finals – making this a big step, but not necessarily a needle-mover for either side at first glance.

It appears the Timberwolves, embroiled in an ownership battle between longtime owner Glen Taylor and the presumed group that includes baseball great Alex Rodriquez, will cut costs as Towns embarks on a $220 million extension he signed a few years ago.

That’s not the best sign for the future, considering this franchise’s surprising run at turning heads in the basketball world when they pulled off a stunning second-round rout of the Denver Nuggets headlined by Anthony Edwards.

Towns seemed to be settling into a supporting role after years of being cast as the franchise’s savior, but now he’s heading to the Knicks and back to his old center position. The Knicks were looking for help when it was revealed that Mitchell Robinson would miss time after left foot surgery, and they were already dealing with the defection of center Isaiah Hartenstein, who signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency.

Cities can certainly go shot for shot with Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, and the two have history, having fought in a wrestling match in Philadelphia a few years ago. And Towns has history with Tom Thibodeau, the Knicks coach entrenched in the franchise, and chief decision-maker Leon Rose.

Thibodeau demands defensive responsibility and has the wing pieces to make the Knicks even more dynamic than last season, assuming OG Anunoby can stay healthy with Mikal Bridges coming over from the crosstown Brooklyn Nets. Watching Josh Hart, the versatility becomes apparent and perhaps the thought is that the staff can make up for Towns’ shortcomings defensively, noting his progress with the Timberwolves as they rose to elite status in the past year West have risen.

But the big improvement, of course, is Towns’ gifts on offense. Randle was tough as a ball handler, unafraid to go on offense and largely steady as a Knick until last season’s setback.

Randle is a capable scorer and can create some play for the Timberwolves alongside Edwards, but he isn’t as efficient or dangerous in that regard as Towns. Towns is probably a better fit with Brunson because he can create space for the wings with his shooting. He was at almost 42% from 3 last year – a huge safety valve for Edwards and point guard Mike Conley.

The Knicks were at their best last year with Hartenstein, Randle and Anunoby during their very short time together until Randle’s season-ending injury on Jan. 27. They dominated the glass and beat teams with their size and all three have the ability to play facing the basket.

That element of the Knicks identity is gone, and DiVincenzo was a big part of that too, making for the fun “Nova Knicks” storyline with so many Villanova players on the roster.

But that has turned into something else, as the Knicks aren’t just playing like party crashers in the playoffs anymore. There are real expectations now, and the Celtics showed that they were by far the best team in the conference, and real personnel moves will be necessary to compete with them, let alone catch the champs.

Getting Bridges, who can defend three positions – if not four – while being an efficient scorer, is one thing. It appears the Knicks believe Towns is the other, but it takes a lot of squinting to see the Knicks emerge at the top of a crowded and competitive conference.

It feels a little weird when you think about Randle. Perhaps he wasn’t the best fit for this roster because it needed a natural center and he would have played out of position and faced the prospect of playing a smaller role in the roster changes.

But two days ago, he joined many Knicks dignitaries at a court dedication bearing his name in the Bronx at the Earl Monroe Renaissance Basketball School. Thibodeau stood next to Randle at this induction, and even if this trade came together quickly as training camp begins next week for all teams, there could be some hurt feelings as Randle helped turn the Knicks around with his 2019 signing.

But this is big business in the NBA – big bold business – and Randle and DiVincenzo seem like victims of the Knicks’ big dreams. The franchise has emerged from obscurity after years of irrelevance, but now must come to terms with the burden of true expectations, even if it doesn’t feel like they’ve truly improved their lot in this ever-changing NBA life.