For all intents and purposes, acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns was the right move for the New York Knicks. They made their first Eastern Conference Finals since 2000, and he played an important part in that.
However, a recent report from The Athletic’s James L. Edwards III and Fred Katz revealed that Knicks players took issue with Towns’ defensive lapses. This could mean Towns could be available as his contract will only get more expensive as time goes on. The question will be which team would be willing to stomach it.
5 Teams That Could Acquire Karl-Anthony Towns From the Knicks
Along with taking the Knicks to their best playoff run in ages, Towns is also coming off a campaign as an All-Star starter. He was fantastic for the Knicks, so there will be interested teams even if he’s expensive. If the Knicks put him on the market, don’t be surprised if the following teams, at the very least, make an inquiry.
Knicks players and coaches were reportedly frustrated with Karl-Anthony Towns’ defensive habits, per @TheAthletic
“Publicly, Knicks players made veiled comments all season about poor communication causing their inconsistencies. Behind the scenes, they and coaches expressed… pic.twitter.com/S0Y3wM8OxG
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 1, 2025
Phoenix Suns
Things didn’t work out with the Suns and Kevin Durant, and all indications are that the two sides will be on the outs this offseason. It wouldn’t be too crazy to suggest that the Suns don’t want to rebuild, but rather re-tool. One of their biggest holes has been their lack of a center.
Suddenly, a Durant-for-Towns swap makes plenty of sense. The Knicks would get a superstar, and the Suns would keep themselves in the playoff conversation while saving money. Phoenix makes the most sense for Towns out of all the potential suitors.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks need to get younger, and they need a more youthful option at center with Brook Lopez on the wrong side of 30. Towns is not the rim protector Lopez is, but he would fit as a floor-spacing big man next to Giannis Antetokounmpo, which could help the offense function better.
The only way the Bucks and Knicks can make a deal is if Damian Lillard’s contract gets involved. Obviously, the Knicks wouldn’t want Lillard, as he’s redundant next to Jalen Brunson and presumably out for the year. If they can get a third team involved to take Lillard, then the Bucks could feasibly make a trade for Towns.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers had a huge hole they never filled in their frontcourt when they traded Anthony Davis for Luka Dončić. The Minnesota Timberwolves picked on that relentlessly in their first-round matchup, leading to a gentleman’s sweep.
The Lakers have enough expendable contracts to make a deal with the Knicks. Towns has his warts, but he’s better to go to war with than Jaxson Hayes or Jarred Vanderbilt. More importantly, putting a floor-spacing big man like him next to Dončić and LeBron James would make their offense pretty much unbeatable.
Detroit Pistons
Rumor has it that the Pistons want a floor-spacing big man this summer after their most successful season in well over a decade. Towns could be that guy for them. If Detroit’s serious about taking it to another level, Towns gives them a floor-spacer with size and another shot creator.
Cade Cunningham is for real, and the Pistons know they have something with him. Towns would be expensive, but he is also a legitimate source of scoring they need when Cunningham is on the bench.
Boston Celtics
It sounds ludicrous to suggest that the Knicks would dare trade Towns to the Celtics, but if they really don’t believe in him, suddenly, the Celtics have assets to offer and want to save money. A two-way deal wouldn’t work between them, but a multi-team trade would.
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Besides Jayson Tatum’s Achilles tear, the sad reality about the Celtics is that their frontcourt situation is not great. Al Horford is approaching 40, and Kristaps Porziņģis has not stayed healthy for them. Towns gives them a legitimate big man who will make them tough to stop when Tatum returns.
