An NBA trade idea sending Karl-Anthony Towns from the New York Knicks to the Miami Heat has been created.
NBA writer Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report created the following trade idea:
New York Knicks get: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Milwaukee Bucks get: Andrew Wiggins, Terry Rozier, Harrison Barnes, a 2026 first-round pick from New York (via Washington), a 2030 first-round pick from Miami, a 2030 first-round pick swap from New York, a 2032 first-round pick swap from New York, a 2032 first-round pick from Miami, a top-50 protected 2031 second-round pick from Utah and three second-round picks from New York
Miami Heat get: Karl-Anthony Towns
San Antonio Spurs get: Lauri Markkanen
Utah Jazz get: Keldon Johnson, Bobby Portis, Jeremy Sochan, Tyler Kolek, a 2029 first-round pick from San Antonio and a 2031 first-round pick from San Antonio
Towns will make $53.1 million next season. The five-time All-Star was traded by the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Knicks on October 2, 2024.
KAT averaged 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.0 steals and 0.7 blocks for New York last season while shooting 52.6% from the field, 42.0% from beyond the arc and 82.9% from the free-throw line. He played in 72 games.
This NBA trade idea would pair Towns with Heat All-Stars Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. All three players went to Kentucky.
Miami was swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round of the 2025 playoffs. President Pat Riley acquired Norman Powell from the Los Angeles Clippers and Simone Fontecchio from the Detroit Pistons this offseason. The Heat parted ways with Kyle Anderson, Haywood Highsmith, Kevin Love and Duncan Robinson.
If this blockbuster NBA trade idea happened, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra would have a core of Towns, Herro, Adebayo, Powell, Kel’el Ware, Nikola Jović and Jaime Jaquez Jr. On paper, that looks like a playoff team in the Eastern Conference.
Towns, 29, has career averages of 23.1 points, 11.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.8 steals and 1.2 blocks in the NBA. A frontcourt of Towns, Adebayo and Ware would certainly be lethal.