Last week, the Knicks made a huge splash by acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns from the Timberwolves in exchange for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. The move was a massive surprise to many, as the forward played a pivotal role in Minnesota’s run to the Western Conference Finals last season. Many believed the team would run it back with the same core. But they opted to trade him, which Kendrick Perkins believes is a massive coup for New York.
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On NBA Today, host Chiney Ogwumike asked the analyst if Towns’ addition would help the Knicks win the Eastern Conference for the first time since 1999. He expressed faith in the team and claimed they are on course for a deep playoff run in the upcoming campaign.
He likened the forward’s addition to the Celtics’ trading for Kristaps Porzingis last season which bolstered their offense and propelled them to a championship. Perkins then spoke about Towns’ incredible performance in the 2024 Western Conference semifinals against three-time MVP Nikola Jokic which helped Minnesota pull off an upset series win.
According to the analyst, the Knicks’ latest recruit outshone the best player in the league on both ends of the floor in that series. Perkins said,
“I don’t think we realize how great a talent or player Karl-Anthony Towns is. Let’s remember the second round of the playoffs against the Denver Nuggets, he outplayed Nikola Jokic on both ends of the floor. He was cooking him, he was having his moments all throughout the postseason, especially in the second round.”
While Jokic put up an incredible 29 points per game on 51.7% shooting, he shot just 22.9% from the three-point line. Most of those misses were due to Towns’ proactiveness in contesting his shots.
In addition to playing stellar defense, he put up an impressive 18.6 points a game on 51% shooting, including 37.9% from beyond the arc. The Knicks had been clamoring for a ceiling-raiser and the two-way star fits the bill perfectly.
Karl-Anthony Towns brings tremendous versatility
Perkins also pointed out that Towns isn’t just an effective long-range shooter but can score off the dribble, get on both high-post and low-post for quality looks, and make inside cuts for easy buckets. He noted that, unlike Julius Randle, he doesn’t need the ball in his hands a lot.
In theory, the former Timberwolves star is an upgrade and Austin Rivers echoed that sentiment during an appearance on the Bills Simmons Podcast. He said,
“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.”
While Towns is revered for his offensive impact, he is among the most underrated defensive players in the league. Last season, he boasted a defensive rating of 108.7, which ranked seventh in the league.
He was the perfect partner for Rudy Gobert, who won the Defensive Player of the Year for the fourth time in his career. While there are concerns about how DiVincenzo’s exit would affect the Nova Knicks’ morale, there’s no doubt that Towns is a significant addition to the Knicks’ roster.
