The Karl-Anthony Towns situation in New York doesn’t look like it’s headed for calm anytime soon.
The Knicks appear to be at a point where Leon Rose and James Dolan have to sort out where this goes next, and the source material points the finger more toward Dolan as the man signing the checks. At the same time, there’s a case to be made that Rose could step in and make the argument that Towns needs to be paid so the Knicks can keep chasing a championship after doing so a year ago.
If the Knicks decide a change is coming, a Towns trade is at least on the table. That might sound wild, but the reality is simple: New York controls the situation, and if the front office believes moving on is the right call, it can happen.
In looking for possible destinations, the New York Post floated the Brooklyn Nets, Chicago Bulls, and other teams as fits. Stefan Bondy wrote, “Only a few possible suitors stand out to me right now in terms of cap space teams and fit.
Chicago and the Clippers have the cleanest path. The Nets can get there with the money, but that’s not a good fit.
Golden State and Dallas could get around [$50 million] in space with more tinkering,”
A Knicks-Nets deal wouldn’t be unprecedented. The teams already pulled off a trade about two seasons ago involving Mikal Bridges and a slew of draft prospects, though this kind of move would obviously carry a different feel.
There’s also the question of whether Towns would want Brooklyn at all. He grew up in New Jersey and has obvious ties to New York City, but the article makes clear that playing for the Nets and playing for the Knicks are two very different things. If that’s where this ends up, Towns would have to live with it.
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The harder part may be fitting into a rotation that is already crowded and defined by role clarity. Clowney is preparing to contribute in a bench role behind Julius Randle, and the minutes should still be there for him to make a case as the season unfolds. Beyond the nightly workload, though, there is a bigger business layer hanging over the year as he heads toward restricted free agency, making every stretch of production feel a little more meaningful. [Read more 🡒]
