The New York Knicks were supposed to be among the best teams in the NBA’s Eastern Conference this season. They were – until they weren’t.
Perhaps fans are overreacting. A four-game losing streak doesn’t define an NBA team. Still, there’s cause for concern here. In a weak Eastern Conference, the Knicks weren’t supposed to have these types of skids.
Options to improve are limited. The Knicks don’t have much draft capital, and most of their appealing players are integral to their rotation. It feels like this team will either do nothing or do something drastic:
Could they do something as crazy as trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the Charlotte Hornets?
The Trade Proposal
New York Knicks receive:
Miles Bridges
Collin Sexton
Josh Green
2031 First-Round Pick (CHA)
Charlotte Hornets receive:
Why The New York Knicks Do The Deal
Towns is having a subpar season. That alone isn’t enough to move him, but it’s a factor here. He’s averaging 21.0 points per game while shooting an uncharacteristically low 35.8% from three-point range. Moreover, the defensive issues that have plagued him throughout his career still exist.
If you’d not heard, Mike Brown is not a fan of defensive issues. It wouldn’t be a shock if he’d (privately) prefer to insert dominant rim protector Mitchell Robinson into the starting lineup instead of Towns. The Knicks would miss his shot creation, but if they think Mikal Bridges can be the Robin to Jalen Brunson’s Batman, it could be worth the trade-off.
Otherwise, the Knicks bolster their depth here by adding three rotation-level players. They also restock their draft cupboards with an unprotected first. That will improve their flexibility if they’re looking to make another big deal in the coming seasons.
Should the Hornets relinquish some flexibility?
Why The Charlotte Hornets Do The Deal
If Towns is a poor defender, perhaps he doesn’t suit the Hornets. Their 7th-best Offensive Rating (116.9) is nearly identical to their 22nd-ranked Defensive Rating (116.7). Some would have them prioritizing a defensive anchor at the 5 spot.
Fair, but there’s a case to be made for leaning into your strengths. Adding Towns could boost the Offensive Rating a few spots higher. If that happened, and the defense stagnated, the Hornets would be a formidable team that could even win a playoff series. If they made this deal and spent their summer targeting defensive upgrades, who knows what they could accomplish next summer?
This organization has not been relevant for some time. A group of Towns, LaMelo Ball, Kon Knueppel, and Brandon Miller would represent one of the most talented foursomes in the NBA.
The Bigger Picture
It feels likely that the Knicks will hang onto Towns. They’re likely to decide that they need his shot-making more than anything else.
Overreacting as a cardinal sin for an NBA general manager. A losing streak is no reason to blow up a squad that’s already been successful.
That said, there’s a breaking point where failure becomes unacceptable. The Knicks have a few weeks before the trade deadline. If those weeks go poorly enough, who knows?
They might do something crazy.