Knicks Karl-Anthony Towns Leaving Rivalry in Past

Karl-Anthony Towns isn't bringing the past into his present with the New York Knicks.

May 7, 2021; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) defends Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl Anthony-Towns (32) during the first half at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images / Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

As if the lasting rivalry between the New York Knicks and Miami Heat couldn't get more intense, Karl-Anthony Towns has entered the game.

Towns will make his first foray into the eternal pleasantries between Manhattan and South Beach when a four-game road trip opens at Kaseya Center on Wednesday night (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG). Wednesday's game is the first of three meetings between the Knicks and Heat, whose rivalry has enjoyed an entertaining reboot in the new decade.

Towns' entry adds another subplot: the newly-minted Knick is indirectly responsible for Jimmy Butler's rise as Miami's franchise face. The two previously collaborated as Minnesota Timberwolves under the watch of current Knicks boss Tom Thibodeau. While the triumvirate ended the Wolves' 13-year playoff drought, frequent clashes between Towns and Butler led to the latter requesting a trade.

Apr 16, 2021; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots the ball over Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) during the first quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Prepping for Wednesday's game, Towns asked that the past be left in the past.

“I’m here in New York. That’s all I’m thinking about right now," Towns said, per Kristian Winfield of the New York Daily News. "I’m a Knick. You're bringing up Minnesota. I’m not a Timberwolf anymore. I’m a Knick.”

Butler was eventually dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers at the onset of the 2018-19 season and found his way to Miami a year later. He has since guided the Heat (2-1) to two appearances in the NBA Finals over the past five seasons. The latter saw Miami douse the Knicks' 2023 playoff run in six games before it fell to the Denver Nuggets in the championship showdown.

“I don’t think (Butler) gets fired up for matchups. I think if they start it, that’s when it starts," fellow Miami star Bam Adebayo said of the potential one-on-one battle, per Stefan Bondy of the New York Post. "He’ll see something, and he just digs in ... He’ll see body language, something small and just goes with it.”

Even if Towns was interested in making things personal, he and the Knicks (1-2) have their own issues to worry about: much has been made, for example, about Towns' activity ... or lack thereof ... in the early going, as he has tried only 28 shots from the field over the first three games. Towns has nonetheless managed to post consecutive double-doubles, including a 21-point, 15-rebound showing in Friday's win over Indiana.

Adebayo couldn't help but notice that, in return, his Heat might have led to the Knicks going all out to acquire Towns' services. With the win in the 2023 conference semifinals, Miami extended the Knicks championship drought to a fifth decade.

"When you see moves like that, you understand they don’t want to be booted anymore in the conference finals or in the second round," Adebayo said, per Winfield. "They want to make it to the Finals."

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