The New York Knicks shocked the NBA world with a last-second trade for Karl-Anthony Towns just before training camp. It was the final feather in Leon Rose’s cap after a productive and transformative summer in the Knicks’ management team. KAT now joins Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby on a Knicks team that should challenge Boston and Philadelphia atop the Eastern Conference.
Of course, there’s a certain amount of risk in any trade. The Knicks gave up two bona fide rotation pieces in Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, which left New York’s depth in a compromised state. Especially with Mitchell Robinson out at least until the new year. Sacrificing depth for a talent of KAT’s caliber is almost always the right move, but it leaves the Knicks more vulnerable to the particular stress of playing for Tom Thibodeau.
Before the KAT trade, however, the Knicks tried to land a different center, one who wouldn’t require the same level of talent coming out. From NBA expert Marc Stein :
“Before striking a deal with Minnesota for Karl-Anthony Towns just days before training camp began, New York made multiple attempts to trade Utah’s Walker Kessler to fill its well-documented void at center, league sources say.”
KAT is a special talent and the Knicks were right to acquire him, but Walker Kessler would have been an intriguing alternative. The Utah Jazz asked a lot for the third-year big man (hence why he’s still in SLC), but Kessler fits the traditional mold of a starting center better than Thibs. The Knicks are busy thinning the cap and have built their impressive 2023-24 defense around Isaiah Hartenstein’s rim-protecting experience. Kessler has hit a plateau in his sophomore campaign, but he’s already one of the best shot-per-minute blockers in the NBA. He would have been a perfect fit, if a little less exciting than Towns.
The ceiling is much higher with Towns, but Thibs’ defenses in Minnesota were notoriously porous with Towns starting at center. Towns may move to the four once Robinson returns to the lineup, but that setup brings its own concerns.
It’s certainly fascinating to contemplate what could have been not only for New York, but also Utah and Minnesota.