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Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks stands for the national anthem before their game against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center on January 15, 2026 in San Francisco, California.
The New York Knicks’ true feelings about Karl-Anthony Towns are becoming clearer — and they run counter to the trade chatter that has swirled around the five-time All-Star in recent days.
According to The Athletic’s Sam Amick, New York has not engaged in discussions about trading Towns this season and intends to stay the course, even as questions mounted following the team’s recent struggles.
“According to league and team sources, the Knicks have not engaged in any discussions about a possible Towns trade this season and plan on persevering with him during this challenging time,” Amick wrote Friday. “That intel is consistent with what [James] Dolan said in his interview, when he insisted that ‘This group can win a championship; I believe that.’”
Amick’s reporting reinforces earlier comments from SNY insider Ian Begley, who also pushed back on the notion that Towns is on the market.
Knicks Not Actively Shopping Karl-Anthony Towns
Begley reported Thursday that, as of earlier this week, the Knicks were not having conversations about moving their franchise center.
“So, I checked around on this Monday, and everything that I gathered was that the Knicks are not having conversations about trading Karl-Anthony Towns,” Begley said on The Putback. “As of Monday, it was not happening. So, as far as something in the aftermath of that Dallas loss, no, that wasn’t the case.”
Begley added that the calculus could change only if New York endured another extended collapse before the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
“I think if you see another two-and-nine stretch, or something like that, ahead of the trade deadline, that’s where you start to consider, if you’re the Knicks, ‘Hey, we have to shake something up here and do something significant,’” Begley said.
For now, that line has not been crossed.
How the Towns Trade Rumors Took Hold
The speculation surrounding Towns gained traction after Newsday’s Steve Popper reported that his name had surfaced in league conversations following the Knicks’ dispiriting 114–97 home loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Monday — a game in which New York was routinely booed by its own fans.
“His name surfaced when the Bucks and Knicks discussed the chance of a deal involving Giannis Antetokounmpo,” Popper wrote, “but now league sources said that talks have involved other teams including Memphis, Orlando and Charlotte.”
The report fueled leaguewide buzz, particularly given the Knicks’ uneven play and Towns’ visible adjustment to a new environment.
Leon Rose’s Ties and the Financial Reality
One reason New York remains committed to Towns is the deep personal and professional connection at the top of the organization.
Team president Leon Rose previously represented Towns during his time at Creative Artists Agency, a relationship that Amick noted played a pivotal role in bringing him from Minnesota to New York in the first place.
Towns is owed $57 million next season and holds a $61 million player option for the 2027–28 campaign — a significant financial commitment that underscores the Knicks’ belief in him as a foundational piece rather than a short-term asset.
Performance Dip Adds to the Scrutiny
While the Knicks’ stance appears firm, Towns’ on-court struggles have contributed to the conversation.
Under first-year head coach Mike Brown, Towns has faced public questions about effort and role clarity while adjusting to a new system.
The tension peaked during a 2–8 stretch that preceded New York snapping a four-game skid with its largest win in franchise history — a 120–66 rout of the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday.
Amick detailed Towns’ production during that rough period from Dec. 31 to Jan. 19.
“Towns simply must be better than this recent stretch,” Amick wrote, noting that the center averaged 17.9 points on 43.7 percent shooting, 10.9 rebounds, and 3.3 turnovers during that span, while the Knicks went 2–8 in games he played. He finished on the wrong side of the plus-minus ledger in eight of those contests as his shot volume dipped well below his peak production from last season.
Those numbers represented a sharp contrast to Towns’ banner 2024–25 campaign, when he averaged 24.4 points on 52.6 percent shooting, including 42 percent from three, along with 12.8 rebounds.
Giannis Speculation Lingers in the Background
Amick also pointed to offseason Giannis Antetokounmpo trade speculation as a potential undercurrent impacting Towns’ season.
“The Giannis Antetokounmpo possibility that emerged in the offseason… couldn’t have done much for Towns’ confidence in the security of his Knicks seat,” Amick wrote, even as the franchise has consistently downplayed the likelihood of such a move.
Stability, Not Panic — For Now
Despite the noise, the message from multiple insiders is consistent: the Knicks are not panicking, and they are not shopping Towns.
For now, New York appears intent on riding out the turbulence, trusting both the player and the investment they made — and betting that clarity, continuity, and time will quiet the rumors more effectively than any trade ever could.