The Knicks will have to get the best out of Karl-Anthony Towns on the defensive end to get where they want to be this season.

A 2022 deal for Rudy Gobert, much maligned in its aftermath, wasn’t just about acquiring a behemoth who could prop up a defense all on his own. It also was about the man playing next to him, Karl-Anthony Towns, who is soon to be the newest member of the New York Knicks.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Knicks payment to the Hornets for helping them get Karl-Anthony Towns is two second-round picks. In order to complete the blockbuster deal involving Towns, the Knicks and Timberwolves had to recruit a third team — the Hornets — to absorb players into cap space and allow the salaries to match.