Knicks Stand Fast on Towns as Trade Deadline Approaches
24 January 2026
Update Ahead of the Deadline
Despite what sometimes looked like a strained tie between head coach Mike Brown and center Karl-Anthony Towns, the New York Knicks do not plan to part with the Dominican big man before the February 5 trade deadline.
No Trade Talks, Towns Stays Through the Season
According to The Athletic, the Knicks have not entered any discussions about a Towns trade and intend to keep him through the current season.
And per league and team sources, there have been no talks about a Towns deal this season, and the Knicks plan to move forward with him through the rough stretch.
This aligns with James Dolan's remarks in a recent interview, where he insisted that this team can win a championship, and he believes it.
Towns' fit with the Knicks' system under Brown has been a major talking point in recent months, to the point that Towns himself admitted that both sides are still trying to figure out the right formula during the preseason press conference.
Progress hadn't appeared to improve between the sides as the season advanced. Last week, in a Knicks-Warriors game, Towns drew a hard foul from Draymond Green, resulting in a flagrancy on Green.
After the game, which the Knicks lost, Brown was seen embracing Green on the court, noting Brown's past role as an assistant in Golden State from 2016 to 2022.
ESPN added that the embrace was not well received by Knicks officials and players.
The situation was intensified by New York's four-game slide, having dropped nine of 11 before Wednesday's 120-66 thrashing of the Brooklyn Nets.
While the win eased the anxiety in New York—if only for a day—Towns' numbers still trail last season's pace under coach Tom Thibodeau.
Town's current averages sit at 20.8 points per game on 46.9 percent shooting, with 11.5 rebounds. He is on pace for the worst shooting percentage of his career, the third-lowest field-goal attempts (14.5 per game), and the second-lowest scoring rate in his pro career.
His contract runs through the next season, with a player option worth $61 million for 2027-2028, and a potential extension of up to four years worth as much as $260 million.
The Knicks currently sit third in the Eastern Conference with 26 wins and 18 losses, just one game behind the Celtics for second.
Punchline time: If Towns keeps shooting like this, the Knicks might win a game by suspense alone—the crowd will cheer, the ball won’t know where it’s going, and neither will Towns. And if drama sold tickets, this season would be a sold-out show with a standing ovation for every timeout called.
