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Despite the New York Knicks' 109-91 blowout victory over the shorthanded Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, NBA legend-turned-TNT analyst Charles Barkley is not impressed with the team. According to Barkley, the Knicks need to make a blockbuster trade for Minnesota Timberwolves star big man Karl-Anthony Towns.
During TNT’s Tuesday night broadcast, Barkley first spoke about how New York does not stack up against the top of the Eastern Conference. He added that the team needs to cash in on its draft picks if it wants to contend with Milwaukee and Boston:
“I think the Knicks need to do something,” Barkley said.
“You see how this movie's gonna end. … For me, the Knicks are like, ‘Yeah, we play hard. We're solid.’ But they're not contenders. So, if I’m them, I’m like, ‘Hey, we’ve got to do something. All those draft picks we've got, what are we saving them for?’
“Go out and make a move because you’ve got to say to yourself, ‘We’re not in the conversation with Boston and Milwaukee.’”
Barkley was then asked which star player, in particular, he would target if were running the Knicks. He didn’t hesitate to name Towns, as he said that he no longer fits in Minnesota alongside fellow star center Rudy Gobert:
“Karl-Anthony Towns because those two guys in Minnesota can’t play together,” Barkley said.
“I mean, that was one of the stupidest trades ever. You go get two guys over 7-foot tall in a little man’s league. … Rudy and Karl-Anthony Towns, they don’t dominate in the post to justify playing two 7-foot guys together.”
Barkley then reiterated that the Knicks need to acquire Towns to avoid being stuck in mediocrity:
“I would go out there and get Karl-Anthony Towns personally because this team here is not gonna win anything,” Barkley said.
“They beat Cleveland last year, but they’re not a contender. You can't be mediocre and stick with that.”
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Could the Knicks land Karl-Anthony Towns?
The Minnesota Timberwolves have gotten off to a disappointing 1-2 start this season. Minnesota also regressed to 42 wins last season after winning 46 games in the 2021-22 season. This has led to speculation that the team could shake things up if it is still not meeting expectations closer to the trade deadline.
As Barkley noted, the most logical trade for the Wolves would be one to break up their big man duo of Towns and Gobert. It’s unclear which of the two they would be more likely to shop. However, Towns is projected to command more on the trade market due to his offensive versatility.
If Towns is made available, New York should have one of the best trade packages available, as the team has a plethora of picks and some solid young pieces. Perhaps the Knicks could opt to include star forward Julius Randle or wing RJ Barrett in a deal as well.
A one-two punch of star point guard Jalen Brunson and Towns would give the Knicks one of the better duos in the East. However, for now, it looks like New York will have to take a wait-and-see approach concerning Towns’ situation in Minnesota.
After three games, Towns is averaging 15.7 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.7 steals, 1.3 blocks and 1.3 3-pointers per game on 37.0% shooting.
