The New York Knicks are in a funk, and it’s coming at a time when expectations have never been higher in the Jalen Brunson era. Just a season removed from a surprise run to the Eastern Conference Finals-their first in two decades-the Knicks looked like a team ready to take the next step.
They opened the 2025-26 season strong, capped off by an NBA Cup win in December that had fans at the Garden dreaming big. But since that high point, the wheels have started to wobble.
New York has dropped eight of its last ten games and is currently riding a four-game losing streak. The offense, once fluid and efficient, now feels disjointed.
Confidence looks shaken. And the energy that once defined this squad?
It’s noticeably missing.
At the center of the conversation-fairly or not-is Karl-Anthony Towns. After arriving in New York with expectations of being the final piece to a championship puzzle, Towns is now catching heat for the team’s slide.
And the criticism isn’t just coming from fans or social media. On a recent episode of the Road Trippin podcast, Kendrick Perkins didn’t mince words.
“You know that the damn problem is Karl-Anthony Towns, but you just don’t want to say the quiet thing out loud,” Perkins said. “Karl-Anthony Towns gotta grow up and be a grown a** man.
That’s what they need him to be. He’s the one.”
Perk’s point? Towns has all the tools-size, skill, shooting touch-but he’s not imposing his will on games the way a player of his caliber should. Once considered one of the league’s most versatile big men, Towns now looks like a player struggling to find his place in the Knicks’ new offensive scheme.
Perkins was quick to clarify that this isn’t about a lack of chemistry with Jalen Brunson. Instead, he pointed the finger at head coach Mike Brown’s system, which seems to have left Towns on the outside looking in.
“It’s not a Karl-Anthony Towns and Jalen Brunson issue. It’s a Karl-Anthony Towns and Mike Brown issue,” Perkins said.
“Because if you noticed, everyone is benefiting from this new offense except Karl-Anthony Towns. He averaged 24 points last year.
He’s averaging 20 points this year.”
That drop-off may not seem drastic on paper, but the eye test tells a different story. KAT isn’t just scoring less-he’s impacting the game less.
And when a player of his stature isn’t fully engaged, it shows up on both ends of the floor. As Perkins noted, “When Karl-Anthony Towns is not getting touches, he’s not engaged in bringing to the table what you need him to bring defensively.”
That’s a problem in the Eastern Conference, where physical frontcourts are the norm, not the exception. Whether it’s Cleveland’s Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen or Detroit’s bruising duo of Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, playoff success in the East often comes down to winning the battle in the paint. And right now, Towns isn’t winning many of those.
Case in point: the Knicks were steamrolled by Detroit in a 121-90 loss that felt like a gut punch coming off their NBA Cup celebration. They had a chance to bounce back against the Mavericks, but instead got booed off their home floor in another disappointing performance.
So where do the Knicks go from here?
This isn’t time to hit the panic button, but it is time for a reality check. The Knicks don’t need to reinvent themselves-they just need to rediscover the identity that got them here.
That starts with Towns. He doesn’t need to dominate the box score every night, but he does need to assert himself-especially when the offense isn’t running through him.
Whether it’s setting hard screens, owning the glass, or anchoring the defense, there are ways for a player of his talent to impact the game without needing 20 shots.
New York has worked too hard over the last few years to become a legitimate contender. They’ve built a roster with toughness, depth, and star power.
But this is the point in the season where good teams either adapt or get exposed. The Knicks are at that crossroads now.
The Mecca still believes. But belief alone won’t be enough. It’s time for Towns-and the rest of this team-to show they’re ready for the next step.