The New York Knicks have been experiencing a bit of a rough patch as of late, and Karl-Anthony Towns has been catching a lot of strays for it. The Knicks entered the 2025-26 NBA season with championship expectations, especially in a relatively open Eastern Conference. They haven’t quite lived up to expectations. However, NBA legend Paul Pierce is quick to pump the brakes on the Knicks making a desperation move.
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Just a few months ago, Towns was one of the kings of the city. His impact helped propel New York to its first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2000. He seemed like the perfect secondary star alongside Jalen Brunson. Unfortunately, the NBA is a ‘what have you done for me lately’ league and lately, Towns has been underwhelming.
Since the turn of the calendar year, the Knicks have a 5-8 record and continue to fall in the standings. It doesn’t help that Towns has been a shell of himself during this stretch. The 5-time All-Star is currently averaging 16.7 points and 10.6 rebounds along with 3.8 fouls per game.
Consequently, Towns’ name is already in trade rumors despite the Knicks having acquired Towns just a season ago. Meanwhile, three-time NBA champion Danny Green has claimed that while he’s not opposed to the trade, the timing was seriously off.
“An All-Star can equal some really good role players,” Green said on No Fouls Given. “But if you are going to trade, I would wait to see how this year plays out.”
The Knicks’ struggles don’t mean the sky is falling. Plenty of championship-calibre teams go through slumps during the regular season. The most important thing is getting those issues sorted out before the postseason comes around.
Former NBA champion,Paul Pierce understands this more than most, which is why he doesn’t want the Knicks press the panic button.
“I think you judge him off his playoffs,” Pierce said. “Everything could get quiet if the Knicks go to the Finals with KAT. This is what I hate what GMs and organizations do. You get discouraged during the regular season. You make a dumb move. No dude, we are judged on what we do in the playoffs, and then we build from what we got.”
After all, this is only Towns’ second season with the Knicks under a new head coach. Yes, New York has defensive woes that need attention. However, they are a result of more than just one player’s fault.
Even if Towns is the centerpiece of a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, that doesn’t necessarily fix the Knicks’ problems. There are still other areas New York’s front office has to take into consideration.
“To match up with OKC, the Spurs or Denver, you need depth. If you go get Giannis, you’re going to trade [Towns] and somebody else. You’re losing depth to get that player,” Green said.
Lack of depth cost the Knicks in the 2025 postseason. Despite their efforts to address those issues in the offseason, it seems the problems still linger.
Perhaps a move to sharpen the team around the edges is best rather than parting ways with Towns. With only a week remaining before the trade deadline, we will see the approach the Knicks will take.
