All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns has always been more comfortable playing the power forward spot next to a defensive-minded center.
In his one-and-done college career at Kentucky, he played next to Willie Cauley-Stein. And during his most successful season as a pro in the NBA — the 2023-24 season when he reached the Western Conference Finals — he played next to Rudy Gobert and Naz Reid.
As such, Towns could be playing out of position with the Knicks in the 2024-25 season, especially with Mitchell Robinson out with injury. To put Towns in a familiar spot, Sports Illustrated’s Jed Katz proposed a Knicks trade that would see New York acquire Jakob Poeltl from the Raptors.
Raptors would receive: Mitchell Robinson, Precious Achiuwa, 2026 second-round pick (via GSW)
Knicks would receive: Jakob Poeltl
Katz explained why Poeltl — who is averaging career-highs in points (15.5), rebounds (11.0) and minutes (32.1) for the Raptors — would be a perfect fit in Tom Thibodeau’s system
Poeltl Can Play Next to Towns
“The Knicks would be getting a player who rebounds just as efficiently as [Mitchell] Robinson,” Katz wrote of Poeltl.
“Although he isn’t as defensively talented, the offense outweighs that with a better touch at the rim. Knicks fans may be upset to see Robinson be involved in trade rumors, but if New York wants to compete for a championship, it can’t be patient anymore. Robinson has had a history of injuries and has gained a noticeable amount of weight since last season. He’s making progress, however the Knicks need to improve the rotation sooner rather than later.”
The writer further explained why Robinson and Achiuwa would have to be sent to Toronto to match Poeltl’s salary in a potential Knicks trade.
“Because Poeltl is making $19.5 million this season, Robinson’s $14.3 million contract would have to be moved in a trade. Achiuwa, making $6.0 million, would be another player likely to be traded if the Raptors’ center were acquired.”
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