Just before the NBA season tipped off, Tim Connelly and the Minnesota Timberwolves shocked the world with a Karl-Anthony Towns trade to the New York Knicks. The trade sent shockwaves across the league, with many questioning the motivations behind such a move. The Knicks' management had other plans for the versatile Karl-Anthony Towns, it seemed. Now it appears the blockbuster trade was a monumental mistake and the young talent has fizzled into the worst Rim Protector in the Game.
Despite Towns' stellar resume, one thing on everyone's mind is the dramatic decline in Karl-Anthony Towns' play on the defensive end. NBA fans thought that Towns, given the more supporting cast, would simply pick up where he left off and become one of the league's most impactful centers defensively. With stars like Julius Randle and Jalen Brunson, Towns' rise was expected to materialize but that never came to fruition.
Town's failure to become one of the league's top defenders has caused plenty of head-scratching. Since arriving in New York, Karl-Anthony Towns hasn't found his footing and even after more than 10 games in a Knicks uniform, there's nothing suggesting that is going to change anytime soon. Town's collapse has led to defensive problems for Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks.
The deal seemed ideal after long-term star Kevin Durant shocked everyone in the league in the summer with a trade request but several months later, it's clear that bringing him to the Big Apple won't magically transform Towns into a 5-tool defensive machine. Towns is still making an average salary north of $40 million, but no player signed to large contracts making that much can really be this defensively challenged, right?