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The New York Knicks have already made several key moves this offseason, including trading for Mikal Bridges. Yet, some analysts believe the franchise is still looking to make another blockbuster trade.
Bleacher Report’s Casey Powell (aka CP “The Fanchise”) reported the Knicks have an interest in trading for Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns. One note, Powell’s assessment came before New York officially signed Jalen Brunson to a team-friendly extension. An argument could be made that the Knicks are now in a better spot to acquire another star given Brunson’s new deal.
“I don’t think they’re [the Knicks] done. I think there’s one more move they want to make,” Powell explained during a July 9, 2024, Bleacher Report live stream. “…I think there’s a big swing they want to make. Well, think about this, right, we talked about all the moves they made this offseason to get themselves some more wiggle room with the cap, right.
“…They didn’t sign Julius Randle to an extension. …They’re bigger fans of Karl-Anthony Towns [than Randle]. They want Towns. …[The Timberwolves are] in a little bit of a tricky spot where they could use some savings. And I can tell you, the Knicks want Towns, man.”
Potential Knicks Trade Target Karl-Anthony Towns Is About to Begin a 4-Year, $220 Million Deal With the Wolves
Towns signed an extension in 2022 which will officially begin this upcoming season. The four-time All-Star has a four-year, $220 million contract that runs through the 2027-28 season.
Towns is slated to have a $49.2 million cap hit in 2024-25. The big man also has a player option that would allow him to forego the final season of his deal to become a free agent in 2027.
Jalen Brunson’s New Contract Extension Could Prompt the Knicks to Make More Moves
Powell is suggesting the Knicks could attempt to do some sort of swap sending Julius Randle to the Wolves in a deal for Towns. Randle has two seasons remaining on a four-year, $117 million contract.
Yet, Randle has a player option that allows him to potentially become a free agent in 2025. The Knicks All-Star has a $28.9 million cap hit next season, so the Knicks would need to add more players in a trade for Towns to make the deal work within the salary cap. Brunson’s contract extension could prompt New York to explore more moves.
“In a largely unprecedented financial concession to give roster flexibility to a contender, New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson has agreed on a four-year, $156.5 million extension, his agent Sam Rose of CAA tells ESPN — $113M less guaranteed than he’s eligible to receive in one year,” ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski detailed in a series of July 12 messages on X.
“The repercussions of Brunson choosing the four-year, $156.5M max deal over the five-year, $269M deal in 2025 are massive for the Knicks’ ability to keep this team together – and keep making roster moves to close the gap on a championship.”
Even if the Knicks are interested in Towns, New York would need Minnesota to also be intrigued in order to make a trade happen. Towns averaged 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3 assists per game while shooting 41.6% from long range in 62 starts during the 2023-24 season.
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