The New York Knicks are heating up at just the right time. Winners of four straight, they’ve surged back into second place in the Eastern Conference, now sitting at 29-18 alongside the Boston Celtics. Both teams trail the East-leading Detroit Pistons by six games, but with the trade deadline looming, the Knicks are very much in the thick of things.
This season was billed as a turning point for New York - a year where making the NBA Finals felt like a real, tangible goal, not just hopeful chatter. And while the Knicks haven’t exactly looked like world-beaters every night, they’ve shown enough flashes to suggest they can make a serious run.
The top seed is still within reach, and with it, the inside track to a deep playoff push. Boston, Cleveland, and Toronto are all legitimate threats, but none look unbeatable.
And if the Knicks can keep building momentum, they could find themselves right in the center of the Eastern Conference power struggle.
Of course, with the trade deadline rapidly approaching on February 5, the chatter around potential roster upgrades is growing louder - especially when it comes to Karl-Anthony Towns. The Knicks have been linked to the Timberwolves big man in recent rumors, and the idea of adding a player with Towns’ offensive skill set is understandably intriguing. But not everyone is sold on the timing.
Paul Pierce, who knows a thing or two about what it takes to reach the Finals, recently weighed in on the speculation. Speaking about the Knicks’ rumored interest in Towns, Pierce offered a cautionary perspective.
“This is not a situation you dive into in the middle of the season when you’re trying to contend for a championship,” Pierce said. “These types of moves are offseason decisions.”
His point? Playoff basketball is a different beast, and Towns’ regular season highs and lows don’t necessarily tell the full story.
“I think you judge him off his playoffs,” Pierce continued. “Everybody feels like they should be on top of the East, but then, like we saw, Indiana made a run from whatever seed to the Finals - and everything quieted down.”
That’s the thing about the NBA postseason: it has a way of rewriting narratives. And for Pierce, the Knicks shouldn’t panic or make a hasty move just because the regular season hasn’t been flawless.
“This is what I hate with GMs and what organizations do,” he added. “You get discouraged during the regular season and make a dumb move.
No, dude - we are judged on what we do in the playoffs. Then we build from what we got.
We’re right there.”
It’s a sentiment that echoes what many around the league are thinking. The Knicks have something solid.
They’re playing with rhythm, their defense is locked in, and Jalen Brunson continues to look like a franchise cornerstone. The temptation to swing big is always there - especially when a name like Towns is on the table - but the real question is whether that kind of move brings them closer to a championship, or disrupts the chemistry that’s gotten them this far.
With just days left until the deadline, the Knicks front office has a decision to make: stay the course with a team that’s on the rise, or roll the dice on a blockbuster move that could reshape their playoff ceiling. Either way, the next week could define the rest of their season - and maybe even their future.