The New York Knicks are not actively placing five-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns on the market, but team executives are quietly monitoring what other clubs might offer ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline, according to multiple reports.
Last week, Steve Popper of Newsday wrote that New York had discussed Towns in preliminary conversations with several teams. Subsequent reporting from Ian Begley of SNY and Sam Amick of The Athletic indicated they had not heard evidence that the center was being aggressively shopped.
Stefan Bondy of the New York Post now adds that, per his sources, the Knicks are not shopping Towns and are currently uninvolved in serious negotiations. Bondy notes that the organization’s posture could shift as the deadline draws closer but does not expect a trade to occur.
Veteran reporter Marc Stein offers a contrasting view, writing that rival front-office officials suspect the Knicks’ public stance may be more strategic than definitive and that the club at least wants a clear sense of Towns’ market value.
Production and contract status
Towns, 30, is averaging 20.5 points, 11.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists while shooting efficiently from the field, three-point range and the free-throw line. He is under contract through the 2027-28 season, holding a $61 million player option for the final year.
For now, the situation remains a “temperature check” rather than an imminent transaction, with front offices across the league monitoring whether New York’s position changes in the coming weeks.
Source: Hoops Wire
