With the New York Knicks suffering a 4-2 elimination in the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals, it means some changes are due for the organization.
The Knicks took the first step in that direction after firing head coach Tom Thibodeau following a five-year stint with the franchise.
While the Knicks could benefit from a new voice, there is one player who needs major improvement ahead of the 2025-26 season if the franchise wants to lift the Larry O’Brien trophy.
Many may wonder if it’s Mikal Bridges, but it’s not. Instead, star center Karl-Anthony Towns has to work on one aspect of his game for the Knicks to succeed.
Karl-Anthony Towns has to become a better defender
Last summer, the Knicks engaged in a blockbuster trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves to acquire Towns. There’s no doubt that adding Towns was a huge improvement.
After all, KAT is one of the most versatile big men in the league. In his first season in New York, Towns averaged 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game while shooting an impressive 52.6% from the field and 42.0% from the three-point line.
However, offense has never been a problem for the 5x NBA All-Star. It’s his defense that he needs to work on in the offseason. Even his Knicks teammates are reportedly frustrated due to this trait.
Towns’ lack of effort on the defensive end of the floor was utterly exploited by the Indiana Pacers in Game 6 of the ECF. The Knicks big man gave too much space to Tyrese Haliburton and he made them pay.
KAT had a 110.6 defensive rating in the playoffs, which isn’t amazing, but it isn’t the worst either among players who played at least 10 games.
As mentioned earlier, the main point of concern about Towns is his lax coverage against star players. Unless he works on that, it’s hard to see the Knicks winning the NBA Championship.
After all, the Knicks can’t expect much success if their two best players, Towns and Jalen Brunson, are a massive defensive liability.
If Karl-Anthony Towns fails to improve, the New York Knicks could explore a trade
At 29 years old, Towns is in the prime of his NBA career. Evidently, this also means he’s expensive to keep on the roster.
KAT has his upsides, but if he fails to reach the expectations of the Knicks, they can always trade him. In fact, many have suggested a direct trade for the Phoenix Suns’ Kevin Durant in exchange for Towns.
Durant may be in the twilight years of his career, but even as a 36-year-old, he has a much better defensive work rate than Towns.
Obviously, a trade should only be considered in the worst-case scenario as Towns has spent just a single season in New York.
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