Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns problem is being exposed by Kevin Durant trade rumors

The New York Knicks appear to have exited the pursuit of Kevin Durant, despite making an offer before the February trade deadline. Reports indicate the team is no longer considered a contender to acquire him, partly due to complex salary cap challenges. Any trade sending Durant to New York would require the Knicks to send out more salary than Durant earns to avoid hard-capping themselves. However, the Phoenix Suns, as a second-apron team, cannot take back more salary than they send out, necessitating a third (and potentially fourth) team in any deal.

The most straightforward trade construction for the Knicks involves sending Karl-Anthony Towns and his remaining three-year, $171.2 million contract to Phoenix. While Knicks fans or the team itself might find trading a player entering his age-30 season for Durant (approaching 37) questionable, the significant lack of interest from the Suns' side is telling. Phoenix reportedly has "no desire" to acquire Towns, despite his history as a teammate of Devin Booker.

This lack of interest raises concerns about Towns' trade value. The Suns' reported priorities in a Durant trade are acquiring starting-level talent to support Booker and potentially converting draft picks into win-now players. Towns seemingly fits this criteria, yet reports emphasize other Knicks players (like OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Mitchell Robinson, Josh Hart) as more appealing targets for Phoenix, though acquiring them presents its own challenges for the Knicks' depth.

The absence of serious trade rumors or reported multi-team scenarios involving Towns is particularly revealing. If the Knicks were truly unwilling to trade him, the Suns should theoretically covet him more, or other teams should be involved to facilitate a deal sending assets to Phoenix. The current silence on such fronts is concerning regarding his market.

This situation doesn't negate Towns' talent as a three-time All-NBA player and incredible offensive force. However, his defensive limitations and inconsistency, combined with his massive upcoming contract ($53.1M, $57.1M, $61M over the next three seasons), negatively impact his risk-reward profile. While not "just anyone," he isn't universally seen as a top-15 or top-20 player. This perception, relative to his contract, threatens to make it an underwater asset rather than a definitive positive one in trade negotiations. The Knicks must be mindful of this league-wide perception for future trades or potential extension discussions involving Towns.