NBA Insider Provides Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns Trade Update

Karl-Anthony Towns has been in plenty of trade rumors this season, and the New York Knicks‘ recent slide hasn’t made the buzz any quieter. Towns himself has struggled in January, and fans are wondering if the Knicks are genuinely interested in trading KAT before the Feb. 5 deadline.

The Athletic’s Sam Amick provided an update in that regard.

“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 on Friday (subscription required).

It does make sense that the Knicks would hold onto Towns and stick with the core that got them within two games of the NBA Finals last season.

It’s also notable that Knicks president Leon Rose is Towns’s former agent. There’s a relationship there that might prevent New York from trading Towns, at least for now.

Towns has navigated a mixed season. Through 41 games, he’s averaging 20.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 3.0 assists while shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 36.3 percent from beyond the arc. The big man started strong, posting double-doubles consistently in October and November, helping the Knicks secure a contending spot early on.

December also brought solid production, with Towns averaging 22.3 points on 52.4 percent shooting, including a standout performance against the Clippers on January 7 where he tallied 20 points, 11 rebounds, and a season-high seven assists in a 123-111 victory that ended a four-game losing streak.

However, January has seen a dip in form amid team struggles. The Knicks have won just two of their first 13 games this month, and Towns’ output fell to 17.7 points on 43.2 percent shooting, with turnovers rising to 3.3 per game.

Recent outings have been good, though, including a 22-point, 18-rebound effort against Dallas on January 19, despite the loss, and a efficient 14 points in 20 minutes during a blowout win over Brooklyn on January 21.