Knicks take big swing for championship, adding Karl-Anthony Towns
Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns drives to the basket last May. Credit: AP/Gareth Patterson
The Knicks this offseason made one thing clear: They would do anything to enhance their chances to be championship contenders.
That was reinforced Friday when they traded Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns. Towns is a four-time All-Star forward in the prime of his career and fresh off a trip to the Western Conference finals.
It could echo another seismic trade in Knicks history, the November 1971 trade that brought Earl “The Pearl” Monroe from the then-Baltimore Bullets. That trade, of course, helped the Knicks make two NBA Finals appearances and capture the 1973 championship.
Monroe became the final piece that extended the Knicks’ run beyond their 1970 championship. The current Knicks would love this Towns trade to get them at least to the conference finals, something they haven’t tasted since 2000.
Could it happen? Time will tell.
He’s put up gaudy stats in Minnesota and is a two-time All-NBA selection. His shooting spaces the floor well, just as Monroe eased the burden on backcourt mate Walt Frazier.
Knicks fans might appreciate that Towns took a back seat to Anthony Edwards, because that hints at how he’ll fit on a team led by Jalen Brunson.
Yet in the postseason, Towns has been inconsistent. He was excellent against league MVP Nikola Jokic when the Timberwolves defeated the Nuggets in the second round last season. But Towns also has had playoff duds, including games in which he’s been foul-prone.
If fans want a better comparison to the Monroe trade, look no further than three months ago. By trading for Mikal Bridges in June, the Knicks fixed a bigger issue, adding a wing who can score when needed and play lockdown defense.
To match the defending champion Celtics, teams need, among other things, wing depth to guard Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Bridges fills that need while also being available, having never missed a game in his NBA career.
Towns averaged 21.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game last season, shooting 41.6% from three-point range. He is averaging 22.9 points and 10.8 rebounds in his nine-year career.
It’s too soon to know if Bridges or Towns will have Monroe’s championship impact. But the common link in the addition of Towns and Monroe is this: The Knicks are not afraid to take big swings to improve their championship odds.
Evan Barnes covers the Nets for Newsday. He previously covered Memphis football and the Memphis Grizzlies and also covered prep sports in Los Angeles.
