Knicks upgrade Karl-Anthony Towns to questionable for opener against Cavaliers
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The New York Knicks listed Karl-Anthony Towns as questionable for Wednesday night’s regular-season opener versus the Cleveland Cavaliers after the center had been classified as doubtful earlier in the day.
The club’s latest injury report cites a right quadriceps strain for the five-time All-Star, who sat out the Knicks’ final preseason game last Friday as a precaution. Towns, 29, averaged 24.4 points, a career-best 12.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.0 steal while appearing in 72 games last season, earning his third All-NBA Third Team selection.
In December, the 6-foot-11 big man was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month for the first time after steering New York to a 12-2 record behind 23.2 points, 14.6 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game.
Towns is entering the second season of a four-year, $220 million contract he originally signed with the Minnesota Timberwolves. The deal includes a player option for 2027-28.
Hart, Robinson sidelined
While Towns’ status trended upward, head coach Mike Brown confirmed that guard Josh Hart (lumbar spasms) and center Mitchell Robinson (left ankle management) will miss the opener.
Hart, 30, hurt his back during a preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers and has not played since. “We have to be careful with it; we don’t want to rush him,” Brown said this week.
Robinson, 27, has been out since leaving the Oct. 9 preseason matchup with Minnesota. Brown described the decision as “load management,” noting the 7-footer’s limited availability last season.
Hart started all 77 games in 2024-25, posting 13.6 points, a career-high 9.6 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.5 steals in 37.6 minutes. Robinson appeared in only 17 contests, averaging 5.1 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.1 blocks over 17.1 minutes.
Their absences could clear minutes for forward Guerschon Yabusele, who joined New York on a two-year, $12 million contract after a breakout campaign with Philadelphia.
Source: Basketball Insiders
