The New York Knicks pulled off their last major move of the offseason when they traded for former Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns. That move caused shock waves around the NBA and led to questions about whether it made them better or ruined their otherwise successful offseason.
After the trade dust has settled, who won the Karl-Anthony Towns - Julius Randall swap? #NewYorkForever #RaisedByWolves
— HoopsHabit (@HoopsHabit) October 2, 2024
No matter what you think about the deal, it appears that the Knicks front office got the player that they wanted and managed to do so despite the NBA's strict rules regarding teams above the apron. In fact, according to the Athletics' Fred Katz, New York used a clever CBA loophole to get the deal done while also staying underneath the second tax apron.
The Knicks have discovered a new loophole in the CBA.
— Fred Katz (@FredKatz) October 2, 2024
Teams in their situation cannot aggregate minimums anymore. So in the sign and trades of Jeffries, Brown and Washington, they are paying each of those guys just $1 above the minimum, league sources tell @TheAthletic.
The Knicks signing players who would have otherwise signed for the league minimum for one dollar more is hilarious flouting of the rules but it also helps them too.
Doing so allows New York to avoid the numerous restrictions that the second apron brings and gives them some flexibility to make other moves, such as potentially trading starting center Mitchell Robinson.
What does the Karl-Anthony Towns trade mean for the New York Knicks?
According to a report, Robinson will likely miss the first several weeks of the season and potentially be out indefinitely. In the meantime, New York doesn't have another starting-caliber center that they can play alongside Towns. That means that they likely plan to start him at center. That could make for some nasty offensive lineups, with Towns being a terrific shooter, but that does leave them vulnerable on defense.
Teams are almost certain to target him in the pick and roll, forcing him to switch onto the other team's best player. Last season, the Boston Celtics did just that against Towns and Towns was repeatedly cooked by the Celtics.
For a defensive-minded coach such as Tom Thibodeau to be willing to play Towns extended minutes at center knowing his limitations seems odd. Then again, he coached Towns for several seasons in Minnesota and he will have plenty of defensive players to help him. Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby, and Josh Hart are all effective defenders, and with Towns at the five, they, along with Jalen Brunson, can share the floor with him.
Time will tell if that will work out for the Knicks but their front office finding a clever workaround to the CBA should help to quiet concerns that they lost their minds.