The New York Knicks boldly traded 3x All-Star Julius Randle and sharpshooter Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota in exchange for Karl-Anthony Towns. Randle had lifted the franchise from a bottom-feeder position just a few years ago. However, the Knicks were tempted by KAT’s efficient floor-stretching abilities.
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On that note, former LA Clippers guard Austin Rivers opined that the Knicks won the Towns-Randle trade despite the latter putting up 24.1 points per game compared to Towns’ 21.8 PPG last season.
On Bill Simmons’ podcast, Rivers explained how KAT’s offensive style differs from Randle’s and how it will upgrade the Knicks’ offense.
He pointed out that Towns is a quick decision-maker in a triple-threat situation. If he receives the ball from beyond the arc, he will either shoot the ball or use a pump fake to swiftly drive to the rim.
Rivers likes his fit with Jalen Brunson, believing that the duo will be lethal in a Pick-and-Pop situation. Rivers said,
“I do think Karl-Anthony Towns is an upgrade from Julius Randle… His abilities align with what they [Knicks] need in terms of spacing the floor. You have a big that’s going to be able to do that. Pick-and-pop game with Jalen Brunson is gonna be fantastic.”
“Karl is highly skilled, doesn’t need the ball in his hands a lot. He’s gonna shoot or he’s gonna make a move right away.”
Meanwhile, Rivers also added that Randle is a laborious offensive player. As a post-operator, he uses multiple movements to get his buckets, which sometimes consumes too much time and energy.
With Towns, the Knicks can field a seamless motion offense. On the other hand, Randle is often seen as a ball-stopper, often taking the mojo out of the offense.
“Julius is a guy who throw the ball down to and you gotta watch take his time. He takes time to get his basket, he needs rhythm dribbles, multiple jab fakes, multiple pump fakes,” said Rivers.
The 32-year-old also suggested starting OG Anunoby at the power forward with Towns in the middle. He feels Anunoby’s skillset at 4 will fit well for the team that already has multiple wing-like players in Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges.
Thus, the acquisition of KAT has opened up many horizons for the squad.
Knicks hailed for their decision-making
Like Rivers, another former NBA guard Sam Mitchell lauded the Knicks’ decision to land Towns. For him, it shows that the Knicks are serious about being a title contender in the upcoming seasons. Their willingness to take bold decisions shows they are thinking out of the box to become title contenders.
On Sirius XM Radio, Mitchell said,
“The Knicks are all in. The trade for Karl-Anthony Towns makes sense. There’s no such way as being halfway all-in. You’re either all the way in or you’re not…The Knicks are 100% in, and not just for this year, but for the next 4-5 years.”
Apart from bringing terrific offense, KAT has also been stellar defensively. He had the seventh-best defensive rating of 108.7 last season. Therefore, he brings a two-way package that can lift the Knicks to a serious title contender position.
