The Celtics have already dipped into the Knicks’ frontcourt this offseason by adding Mitchell Robinson, and now another New York big man has surfaced in the conversation: Karl-Anthony Towns.
Boston and Brad Stevens have made a habit of chasing upgrades on both ends of the floor, and Robinson fits that mold as a defensive anchor and offensive rebounder. Towns, though, would be a much bigger swing if he ever became available.
For now, that still feels unlikely. The Knicks just won a championship, and moving on from Towns doesn’t appear to be on the table.
But his contract situation has started to generate buzz, and that’s where the Celtics’ name enters the picture. If Towns becomes unhappy about the state of his extension talks, the idea of a trade could start to gain traction.
Ben Handler recently pointed to the possibility that New York may not want to cross into the second apron, especially if keeping Towns and others pushes them in that direction. He wrote:
“We’ve thrown around names like Steph Curry and Nikok Jokic, but at this point, those seem like pipe dreams, unlikely to leave the only franchises they’ve ever known. But suddenly, a new, unlikely name has emerged as someone who could become available much sooner than anyone could have expected: Karl-Anthony Towns.
“The Knicks are just months away from winning their first championship in ages, and the vibes in New York have been immaculate. But the second apron comes for everyone, and sure enough, before the season has even started, there’s a cloud hanging over the team as they are far apart on a new extension for KAT,” Ben Handler wrote.
A Towns trade would come at a steep price. Boston would have to part with major draft capital, and any deal would also bring the burden of his next contract.
Still, there’s a clear basketball fit. Towns has long shown he can produce at a level that justifies a big investment, and his ability to stretch the floor would line up neatly with the three-point-heavy system Joe Mazzulla prefers.
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