Trade Rumor: The reports has been approved by the management…

There are few certainties in modern New York Knicks basketball, but the idea that Evan Fournier is on his way out seems universally agreed upon.  Fournier himself said so shortly after the Knicks’ elimination over the spring, and it’s not hard to see why: the 30-year-old began the year as the Knicks’ primary shooting guard but was usurped by second-year man Quentin Grimes relatively early on in the season. He appeared in only 12 games in the calendar new year, mostly in mop-up duty, even though he set the Knicks’ single-season record for successful three-pointers.  With that type of workload… or lack thereof … and a guaranteed $18.8 million due to him next year, trading Fournier seems inevitable. Yet, he remains on the New York roster despite a flurry of moves across the Association with free agency getting underway on Friday evening.   Steve Popper of Newsday says that, despite last season’s awkwardness, the Knicks are trying to do right by the veteran.  “According to a team source, the Knicks are trying to utilize Evan Fournier’s $18.9 million expiring contract to make a trade,” Popper writes. “But also are determined to not force Fournier, who was a good soldier throughout last season’s benching, to wither on the bench again in what should be the prime years of his career.”  Over the prior six seasons before last year, Fournier sank 1,095 three-pointers between Orlando, Boston, and New York, the 13th-best tally in the league in that span. He could certainly contribute to a team in need of outside shooting.   The price tag, however, could scare teams off, especially with his lack of recent work. Knicks management might have to open its draft pick cabinet to sweeten such a deal while also trying to put Fournier in a position

Multiple reports continue to link Timberwolves’ Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks Jonathan Harrison for Bring Me The Sports

The Knicks have long been rumored to be interested in the New Jersey native  It’s a bird. It’s a plane. It’s yet another Karl-Anthony Towns/New York Knicks trade rumor.  Speaking on Tuesday’s edition of the Run It Back show, The Athletic’s Shams Charania said the Knicks are “always going to have interest in Karl-Anthony Towns.”  Back in July, SNY’s Ian Begley reported the Wolves were in talks about trading KAT ahead of the draft and that “the Knicks could have gone there as well and they clearly have decided not to go there at this point.” And following Charania’s report Tuesday, Begley wrote that the Knicks still have interest in Towns.

“That’s true today, just as it was true on the day Knicks team president Leon Rose took over,” Begley wrote before suggesting “the Timberwolves won’t be trading Towns this season.”  Minnesota could see how far the current roster can go this season and then trade Towns or another player on a large contract, perhaps Rudy Gobert but probably not young cornerstones Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels, over the summer.

After signing Edwards to a max deal this past summer, Minnesota has three players on max contracts.

New deals for young stars like McDaniels and Naz Reid have placed the Wolves well above where many think ownership is willing to spend long term.  It might be true that Minnesota has no interest in breaking up a team that is off to a Western Conference-leading 24-8 record, but rumors could still pop with the Feb. 8 trade deadline fast approaching.

Towns being a New Jersey native, along with former Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau currently coaching the Knicks and ex-Wolves president Gersson Rosas in the Knicks front office, are just a few dots to connect between the Wolves and New York.

Next up for the Wolves is a Wednesday home game against the 19-14 New Orleans Pelicans. Tipoff is set for 7:10 p.m. CT.  Karl-Anthony Towns  Jan 1, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) looks to drive past New York Knicks forward Julius Randle (30) in the first quarter at Madison Square Garden.  Credit: Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports