The New York Knicks have lost nine of their last 11 games, the most recent of which was a 114-97 blowout loss at home to the Dallas Mavericks. New York's latest struggles are certainly interesting timing in the NBA landscape, as it should factor into how they approach the coming weeks with the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaching. One dream trade target the Portland Trail Blazers should be monitoring is star big man Karl-Anthony Towns.
According to Steve Popper of Newsday, "whispers around the league have begun to speculate about the possibility of the Knicks moving him." The Knicks haven't yet indicated to teams that they are openly shopping Towns, but his name previously came up in a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo deal, and teams like the Grizzlies, Magic, and Hornets are now reportedly involved in talks as well. Portland should absolutely be getting involved in these discussions.
Knicks' struggles suddenly place Karl-Anthony Towns in trade rumors
The one downside is his contract, as Towns is on the books for three more seasons with a massive $61 million player option in 2027-28. While he should be considered a star in the league, that's likely still an overpay.
It could become a future problem for an up-and-coming Blazers team looking to retain its young core, particularly with a new deal for Deni Avdija. But Portland already has those roadblocks on its roster in the form of Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday, both of whom are under contract for the same number of years. Their combined player options in 2027-28 amount to $73.6 million, so a trade involving those two in exchange for Towns and a salary filler could work without significantly hindering Portland's future financial outlook.
Admittedly, he's not the perfect fit defensively for general manager Joe Cronin's vision. Depending on the matchup, Towns' offensive versatility as someone who can play both the four and five positions becomes a weakness on the defensive end. He's not quick enough to effectively guard on the perimeter, while more physical bigs can give him trouble on the interior.
But ultimately, the value he'd provide for Portland on the offensive end would more than make up for it. The Blazers consistently rank near the bottom in three-point shooting, and KAT has a legitimate case as the best shooting big man in NBA history.
His size and ability to space the floor would also give Portland tremendous flexibility in the frontcourt, allowing him to play alongside Donovan Clingan in double big lineups or spelling him for stretches, giving Yang Hansen more time to develop.
New York's surprising struggles as of late could give Portland a dream opportunity to land a star who fits perfectly on offense. Losing Holiday would sting in the short term, but Portland has backcourt reinforcements eventually on the way in Scoot Henderson and Damian Lillard. They can't allow that, or Towns' contract, to overshadow their chance to add an elite shooting big man who would immediately solve the Blazers' spacing problems.
Towns is just the piece Portland needs to get back to the postseason.