New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns was recently selected to the 2026 NBA All-Star game, marking the sixth selection of his career. Between his All-Star appearances, three All-NBA selections, and statistically making a case to be considered the best shooting man the game has ever seen, why is Towns so underappreciated?
Many Knicks fans have seemingly turned on their talented center, and it appears some of their front office executives have, too -- at least judging by their rumored asking price (subscription required). James L. Edwards III of The Athletic recently reported that the Knicks would settle for "salary-matching players and, maybe, small draft compensation" to part ways with one of their best players at the deadline.
That's a rare opportunity for teams to add a star still in his prime for dirt cheap.
Blazers could steal Karl-Anthony Towns for cheap
Sure, part of the reason New York is so willing to move KAT is his massive contract. He's by far the highest-paid player on their roster at $53.1 million this season, and that number skyrockets to $61 million with a player option in 2027-28.
Under the new CBA, a contract of that size will undoubtedly deter some teams. Given the relative lack of roster flexibility midseason, some teams would have difficulty pulling it off even if they wanted to. But that doesn't apply to the Portland Trail Blazers, who have two massive contracts of their own in Jerami Grant and Jrue Holiday.
Both are prime trade candidates for Portland leading up to the Feb. 5 deadline. The Knicks were even rumored to have interest in Holiday, with Mikal Bridges as an option for Portland, given that the Blazers' front office has "long admired" the Villanova product.
But if Towns is truly this easily attainable, why not upgrade the frontcourt instead?
The Blazers finally acknowledged their shooting woes by acquiring Vít Krejčí from the Atlanta Hawks. But as the worst three-point shooting team in the league, they'll need to continue addressing this roster problem. Towns can not only provide valuable floor spacing, but has also proven capable of playing both the power forward and center positions. His ability to play alongside Donovan Clingan makes this a much more seamless fit.
KAT's defensive limitations are a concern for a Blazers team that prides itself on its newfound defensive identity, but, similar to the Krejčí trade, it could be in their best interest to sacrifice some defense for offense and find a better roster balance going forward.
If the Knicks were asking for a package typically required to land someone just named to the All-Star team, this would be a different conversation. His contract and imperfect fit likely wouldn't be worth it for Portland.
But they are practically giving him away, making this a golden opportunity for a Blazers team in need of more star power to somehow buy low on one still in his prime.