The New York Knicks have been active behind the scenes ahead of Thursday's trade deadline, and a recent report sheds light on just how valuable Karl-Anthony Towns is perceived around the league.
According to league insider Jake Fischer, the Washington Wizards reached out to the Knicks to gauge the availability of the six-time All-Star big man before ultimately swinging a deal for another Kentucky product-Anthony Davis. The inquiry didn’t lead to a deal, but it gave the Knicks something arguably just as valuable: a clearer sense of Towns’ market worth.
Wizards Made a Play for Towns Before Landing Davis
Fischer revealed on a Wednesday stream that Washington’s front office wasn’t solely focused on Davis when exploring upgrades in the frontcourt. They also explored a similar framework involving Towns, signaling that the Wizards were casting a wide net in their pursuit of a star.
Given the recent noise around Towns’ name-especially after reports surfaced about his frustration with being floated in hypothetical trades for Giannis Antetokounmpo-it’s not all that surprising that teams are checking in. The Wizards, looking to pair a dominant big with Trae Young and fast-track their rebuild, saw an opportunity. But the Knicks weren’t biting.
Why the Knicks Held the Line
Let’s be clear: New York isn’t in the business of giving away stars for future assets unless those assets are a direct path to something bigger. Trading Towns for draft picks alone doesn’t move the needle for a team with championship aspirations. It’s not that the picks weren’t intriguing-those could’ve been flipped in a larger deal, maybe even one involving Antetokounmpo-but the math didn’t work out for the Knicks.
If the front office believed that moving Towns would get them closer to landing Giannis, the framework might’ve been different. But the fact that no three-team deal materialized, and that the Bucks weren’t brought into the mix, suggests that New York didn’t see the picks as the golden ticket.
In short, the Knicks weren’t willing to part with Towns unless it directly led to a clear upgrade. And while Antetokounmpo would certainly qualify, the pieces just didn’t align.
Washington Moves On, Knicks Take Notes
The Wizards eventually pivoted and landed Davis, pairing him with Young in a bold move that signals their intent to contend in the East. For New York, it’s a different kind of win. While they didn’t make a move, they now have a better understanding of how the league values Towns-and that kind of intel is gold in front office circles.
That doesn’t mean Towns is off the table forever. But unless the Knicks are getting back a superstar in return, he’s not going anywhere before the deadline.
And that’s a smart play. You don’t trade a player of Towns’ caliber unless you’re upgrading, not just reshuffling.
What this episode does offer New York is leverage. They’ve now got a benchmark for Towns' trade value, and that can help shape future negotiations-whether it’s this week or months down the line.
Bottom line: the Knicks are holding strong, and they’re doing it with purpose. This isn’t about making noise at the deadline-it’s about making the right move when the time comes.