While the rest of the NBA is monitoring the Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ja Morant sweepstakes, one team called to check on Karl-Anthony Towns’s availability.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Washington Wizards called the New York Knicks about the six-time All-Star.
“I’d also heard that the Wizards called New York in a similar capacity about this type of framework for Karl-Anthony Towns,” said Fischer.
He’s referring, of course, to Washington’s trade for Anthony Davis, agreed to with the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday.
In exchange for the 10-time All-Star, the Wizards dealt Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham, Marvin Bagley III, two first-round picks, and three second-round selections to the Dallas Mavericks.
That amounts to roughly $43 million in salary, which is still $10 million short, so it’s unclear what a deal between New York and Washington would have looked like.
What is certain is that the Knicks aren’t necessarily as “fed up” with Towns as the fanbase. Even in a down year, he holds far more value to the team than the draft assets, financial flexibility, and talent a deal with the Wizards would yield.
And things are looking up for Towns, who posted his fourth consecutive double-double in New York’s 134-127 win over the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, which marked the team’s eighth straight victory, pouring in 24 points while collecting 12 rebounds.
Washington’s attempt to gauge Towns’ availability provided predictable results.
With the league’s trade deadline just hours away, it would be stunning to see the Knicks move Towns, especially after the Wizards landed Davis.
