Knicks Going All In With Karl-Anthony Towns Trade

The New York Knicks are making their push towards a championship.

May 19, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts in the third quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves in game seven of the second round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images / Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks have a new direction after acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns in a blockbuster trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a 2025 protected first-round pick from the Detroit Pistons.

The Knicks have been buyers for a while, making a trade back in December for OG Anunoby for their first wave of tradable assets, which included Immanuel Quickley and RJ Barrett. Then in June, the Knicks sent most of their future draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets in order to acquire Mikal Bridges, but they still had a few pieces to work with.

Those pieces — Randle, DiVincenzo and the future first-round pick — were then traded to the Wolves for Towns, who is about to start his four-year, $220 million extension that he signed back in 2022. Towns has a player option in the fourth year when he turns 32 in 2027-28, which means the Knicks have him signed on for another three years at the minimum.

After signing Anunoby to his extension and taking on Towns' money for the next few years, the Knicks don't have a lot to spend on outside free agents. They also don't have much draft capital to work with for any future trades.

Miles McBride, who is about to enter the first season of a three-year, $13 million deal, is likely the next potential player to be traded, but his exclusion in the Bridges and Towns deals suggests that the Knicks want to keep him for the long haul.

Ultimately, the Knicks are virtually locked into the roster that the team currently has, which is both a blessing considering they have a team ready to contend, but also a curse in case the team doesn't produce the results that they expect.

Make sure you bookmark New York Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

• Knicks Waive Two Players After Karl-Anthony Towns Trade
• Where Will Knicks Put Precious Achiuwa?
• Report: Donte DiVincenzo Didn't Like Knicks Plan
• An Ode to Julius Randle, the Original Modern Knick
• Wolf of Ball Street; Knicks' Trade Is a Risky Investment