NBA trade rumors: Timberwolves' $36 million star on radar of New York Knicks

Dating back to the preseason, one of the biggest NBA trade rumors was that the New York Knicks had an interest in Karl-Anthony Towns. Recent developments have indicated that the thought of this is completely one-sided.

Over the summer, the New York Knicks were connected to multiple big-name centers. First, it was Joel Embiid due to the James Harden drama. Then, it came out that Karl-Anthony Towns was their preferred top target.

In a recent story for Action Network, Matt Moore cited the latest on a possible Towns to New York deal. He reported that the interest in a trade like this is primarily coming from the New York side.

Towns, 28, is in the midst of another All-Star level season. Through 11 games, he is averaging 21.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists. It's also worth mentioning that Towns inked a four-year extension with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the summer of 2022.

---

New York Knicks unlikely to land Karl-Anthony Towns at this moment

Based on the recent reporting, it seems as though the New York Knicks might need to put their focus elsewhere. Given the current circumstances, it's doubtful Karl-Anthony Towns will become available via trade in the near future.

When the Wolves traded for Rudy Gobert last year, many questioned the fit between him and Towns. Now with some time to work through it, they have found an avenue for success. Right now, Minnesota sits in third place in the Western Conference with a record of 8-3. Seven of those wins came consecutively.

Led by an emerging star in Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves look like a legitimate threat in the Western Conference right now. The biggest area they've stood out in is defense. Currently, Minnesota has the top-ranked defense in the NBA in terms of defensive rating.

With things going so well right now, it seems unlikely the Timberwolves would shake things up, especially with such a drastic move like trading Towns. If they continue to keep winning games, it's more likely the front office will look to add pieces, not tear down the core.

The Knicks have the assets to swing a big trade this season, but Towns is a bit too out of their reach at this point.