How Karl-Anthony Towns Will Make Knicks Trade Work

With so much star power stuffed on one team, discussions about sacrifice have been common in New York Knick realms as the 2023-24 season looms.

Former NBA veteran Eddie Johnson joined the fray when it came to analyzing the impact one of the newest Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns, could have after coming over in a high-profile trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves. With Towns known for attracting referees’ signals, Johnson said that Towns’ ability to “negotiate” will be key for the Knicks’ championship chances, especially with the relative lack of depth behind him after several marquee deals.

“The only negative to Karl-Anthony Towns to me this year is balance,” Johnson said during an appearance on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “(Fouling) is the one thing that he’s got to guard against because that’s going to get them in trouble, because they’re so thin. (Mitchell) Robinson’s going to be out until January, so he’s got to learn how to play and be negotiable on winning fouls.”

“Do I give up the layup to save a foul? Yeah, man, especially when you’ve already got one in the first quarter! Give the layup up and live to fight another day.”

Johnson, the 1989 Sixth Man of the Year, was analyzing Towns’ unofficial Madison Square Garden debut from Wednesday, which saw him earn 25 points, 12 rebounds, and two blocks in a dominant preseason win over the Washington Wizards. Towns did hit only one three-pointer on seven tries but Johnson believes he’ll rediscover his outside stroke considering he’s “one of the best three-point shooters for a big man in the history of the game.”

Wednesday’s game, however, did feature five fouls from Towns, who played into the early stages of the fourth quarter. Last season saw him charged with 3.32 fouls per game in Minnesota, the fifth-worst rate in all of the NBA last season. In comparison, the departed Isaiah Hartenstein led the Knicks in that dubious department at 2.85.

While Towns’ physicality fits into what head coach Tom Thibodeau is trying to build, the Knicks can’t afford any extended absences from their new interior threat: as Johnson mentioned, Robinson isn’t expected to return until the new calendar year and the names behind him (i.e. Jericho Sims, Ariel Hukporti) lack the professional experience that inspire true confidence. Towns comes into New York with a great sense of power, but, as another metropolitan hero was once told, a great level of responsibility comes with it.

Towns will have a chance to show what he learned from the Wizards’ visit on Sunday evening when the Knicks face his former Minnesota employers at MSG (6 p.m. ET, MSG/NBA TV).

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