Kendrick Perkins Says “The Damn Problem” Is Karl-Anthony Towns Amid Knicks’ Chemistry Issues

The New York Knicks, just a year ago, exceeded expectations by reaching the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in two decades, and with the likes of Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and others, the Mecca feels like the Mecca again. They even started the 2025/26 season hot, signaling that this time they were thinking about going all the way. However, since winning the NBA Cup in December, the Knicks have been in a downward spiral, and Towns is being blamed for it.

The Knicks are just 2-8 over their last 10 games and are currently stuck on a four-game losing streak. The offense looks clunky, the confidence feels shaky, and the vibes are not what they were a month ago.

This team has issues, and everyone, including the Knicks franchise itself, knows it. Now, they have Kendrick Perkins calling them out on the Road Trippin podcast. Big Perk is never shy about laying out his criticisms, and on this latest episode, he pointed the finger squarely at Towns as the core of the Knicks’ issues

“You know that the damn problem is Karl-Anthony Towns, but you just don’t want to say the quiet thing out loud,” claimed Perkins. “Karl-Anthony Towns gotta grow up and be a grown a** man. That’s what they need him to be. He’s the one.” 

Perkins is not wrong here. KAT used to be viewed as a feared big man who could shoot the deep ball with ease. Now, for some reason, his presence in the paint or on the perimeter would not even strike fear into a YMCA basketball team.

According to Perk, it’s not because of a lack of chemistry with Brunson but because of coach Mike Brown’s new offense. “It’s not a Karl Anthony-Towns and Jalen Brunson issue. It’s a Karl-Anthony Towns and Mike Brown issue. 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,” he stated.

The rest of the panel pointed to players on the court, like Brunson or Bridges, for not feeding KAT. And as easy as it is to put the blame on Brown or whoever else, at the end of the day, it is the players who produce on the court, while the coach simply guides the way. Still, Perkins did not hold back on how pivotal it is for the Knicks to succeed with KAT returning to tip-top form.

“When Karl-Anthony Towns is not getting touches, he’s not engaged in bringing to the table what you need him to bring defensively. And the problem is that when you talk about getting through the Eastern Conference, when you talk about Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, or we talking about those two gorillas over there in Detroit, Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, you gonna have to lace your shoes up,” added Perkins.

The Knicks were bullied 121-90 the last time they played Detroit, a beating so severe it silenced any hype from their NBA Cup triumph. New York had a chance to bounce back with what looked like an easy game against the Mavericks. Instead, they were embarrassed at home and even started drawing boos.

What this really comes down to is urgency, not panic. The Knicks do not need a full-blown identity crisis, but they do need to decide who they want to be when things get uncomfortable. KAT does not have to turn into a different player overnight, but he does need to make his presence felt even when the ball is not finding him, especially against physical teams that are daring him to disappear.

New York has spent the last few years proving they belong in the conversation. Now they have reached the point where good teams either adjust or get exposed, and this stretch will say a lot about which side the Knicks actually fall on.

About the author

Joseph Galizia

Joseph is a Las Vegas based actor and circus performer. For the last seven years he's had the pleasure of covering sports for multiple outlets, including the Lifestyles section of Sports Illustrated. In that time, he's conducted over 50 interviews with athletes, filmmakers, and company founders to further cement his footprint in the journalism world. He's excited to bring that skillset to the SportsRush, where he'll be covering the NBA news cycle.

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