Former NBA executive worries Knicks got worse in Karl-Anthony Towns trade | Sporting News

The New York Knicks swung their second blockbuster trade of the NBA offseason, landing Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a protected first-round pick from the Detroit Pistons.

It’s a massive swing for the Knicks, who add more shooting and size to a roster with a massive hole at center. It also costs them two high-quality rotation players who have played key roles in their success the last two seasons.

Read more: Why Knicks trading Donte DiVincenzo is a bigger gamble than it may seem

Though the Knicks landed the best player in the deal, The Athletic’s John Hollinger, the former Vice President of Basketball Operations for the Memphis Grizzlies, worries that the Knicks got worse in the deal.

Hollinger wrote that he is concerned with the Knicks’ depth.

“I’m worried this makes their roster too top-heavy and hollows out the wing depth. New York’s remaining group now leans a little too heavily into the Thibodeauian fantasy of using only six players the entire night for all 82 games and hoping they don’t collapse in a heap in the playoffs.”

Hollinger also said his win projections formula has the Knicks dropping 2.5 wins.

“Here’s the scary part for New York: This is a win-now trade, and the Knicks’ projection in my system didn’t get better after I input the changes. In fact, it got significantly worse, dropping by 2.5 wins. One can argue that the playoff version of the Knicks would get a different grade, when it is more dependent on the top six players, but that would depend on Thibodeau not killing them all before April.”

Finally, Hollinger wrote that Towns’ contract (four years, $220 million) will thrust the Knicks into the dreaded second apron and shorten their competitive window.

“New York has little draft capital left to trade and is mere pennies from the second apron cap. It’s likely stuck with this roster until next offseason. …  Yes, the Knicks solved their starting center problem … but in doing so, they created enough other issues that the cure may be worse than the disease.”

The Knicks’ top-end talent is better than it was a week ago. Towns is a versatile scorer who will space the floor on offense, creating more driving lanes for players like Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and Josh Hart.

However, as Hollinger mentioned, the Knicks’ depth took a hit by trading DiVincenzo and Randle, who played the four and could keep Anunoby as a small forward.

Hollinger noted that the Knicks’ front office has been one of the league’s “most creative” and will likely find ways to add to their depth.

It’s a bold gamble, one that could raise the Knicks’ ceiling. But if New York ends up worse, it will likely be a deal that leaves Knicks fans wondering, “What if?”

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