Karl-Anthony Towns Trade Rumors: Knicks Not Interested in Dealing Mitchell Robinson
According to Matt Moore of Action Network, the New York Knicks do not want to trade center Mitchell Robinson in exchange for Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns.
According to Moore, the Knicks are more interested in signing Towns to play with Robinson, giving them a starting lineup with two 7-footers in the paint.
“Notably, the Knicks have no intention of including the injured Mitchell Robinson, even if he were healthy,” Moore said in a statement. “Robinson will be out for another 6-8 weeks before being re-evaluated, and there is talk that he may miss the remainder of the season. According to multiple sources, the Knicks want to start Towns alongside Robinson, similar to how the Wolves have enjoyed surprising success with Towns.
Robinson is out for the foreseeable future after having surgery for a stress fracture in his left ankle. In the 21 games he has played this season, Robinson is averaging 6.2 points and a career-best 10.3 rebounds per game.
Towns is putting up 21.4 points and 9.1 rebounds per game, leading the Timberwolves to a conference-best 24-9.
The Knicks have already been active in the trade market this season, trading Immanuel Quickley, RJ Barrett and a 2024 second-round pick to the Toronto Raptors for OG Anunoby. Now having a new piece to go alongside their stars Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle, the Knicks could be looking to add another All Star-caliber player to the roster.
At 19-15 on the year, New York is in the playoff hunt, but it would likely need to make a move to compete with the top teams in the East and be a Finals contender.
Towns could be that missing piece that New York needs, as he would give the Knicks some help on defense while also helping them space out the floor on offense with his shooting ability. Towns is currently shooting 40.1% from deep.
But with the Timberwolves playing some of the best basketball in the league, it’s not clear whether they’d be willing to hand over one of their best players. If Minnesota does decide to deal Towns, it seems it will have to be in a deal that does not include Robinson.
