In a candid moment, Knicks' coach Mike Brown finally addressed what many have observed all season: Karl-Anthony Towns, despite being an All-Star, plays second fiddle to Jalen Brunson in the Knicks’ offensive hierarchy. Brown emphasized that Brunson is the primary option, leaving Towns to follow.
Before their Saturday night clash with Houston, Brown discussed Towns’ fluctuating performance and his role within the team. “I look at KAT and he’s probably right where he should be, right?” Brown stated, highlighting that Towns is the second-leading scorer, naturally receiving fewer opportunities than Brunson.
This season, Towns has taken 728 field goal attempts, a noticeable drop from 880 at the same point last season. That reduction, about three fewer shots per game, might explain his apparent dissatisfaction with his role in the offense.
Towns' frustration was evident in the Knicks’ recent loss to the Pistons. Facing a Detroit team missing both centers, Towns managed only two points from three shots in the first half. The Knicks trailed by 10 at halftime and ultimately lost, marking their third defeat to Detroit this season.
Towns is experiencing one of his most challenging seasons, with 19.8 points per game and a 34.9% three-point shooting percentage-both career lows since his rookie year. His 46.7% field goal percentage is also the lowest of his 11-year career. For the Knicks to contend in the Eastern Conference, they must integrate Towns more effectively.
The responsibility for resolving the "Towns problem" is shared. Towns needs to embrace his role and capitalize on his chances. Despite his elite status and experience under various coaches, he must find ways to assert his presence on the court.
After the Pistons game, Towns remarked, “Our offense is our offense. It’s been that way all year. So we have our system, and we’re gonna - regardless of who’s in the game or not in the game - we run the system that we have implemented for our team to the best of our abilities.”
Coach Brown, too, bears responsibility. He acknowledges that Towns’ role in the offense has a steep learning curve, yet the adjustments made haven’t fully unlocked Towns’ potential. The game against Detroit, with the Pistons down two centers, was a missed opportunity to exploit matchups using Towns.
Lastly, Leon Rose, the Knicks’ president, is also in the spotlight. His major decisions-trading for Towns and replacing Tom Thibodeau with Brown-are under scrutiny. The team lost some grit by moving Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, and Brown’s offensive system hasn’t maximized the roster’s strengths.
The Knicks must find solutions swiftly to prevent their season from unraveling. There’s still time to make adjustments and solidify their standing in the conference.