“Expect the unexpected” is the perfect way to explain the 2024-25 NBA season. Things took a crazy turn in the offseason last year when the Wolves traded Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks. Well, when and how did that trade come about? However, that trade and Mikal Bridges might have been one of the reasons for the fire that ignited in the team’s core. Off to the playoffs and into the Eastern Conference Finals! But, heartbreak came to KAT & Co., wrapped in the Indiana Pacers’ garb.
One of the major factors that ruined everything for the Knicks was their defense against Tyrese Haliburton and Pascal Siakam. How do you allow 3s mindlessly in a Conference Finals? If you’re looking for answers, Tom Thibodeau’s boys could help you. So, now that their playoffs came to an end on Saturday’s Game 7 with a 108-125 result, many people are hoping for a shakeup. And it seems like Karl-Anthony Towns’ associate could be the one the Knicks are looking for.
Karl-Anthony Towns’ friend could end the Knicks’ years of major struggle
Tim Bontemps tried painting a picture for New York on the Hoop Collective podcast. And to be honest, he oddly makes sense! “This summer, the Knicks have their top seven guys. They’re very good. The Mikal Bridges trade was not a good trade, but at this point, it is what it is. And they have the ability to go out and add depth to the roster,” the ESPN analyst told Brian Windhorst and Tim MacMahon.
So, here’s a solution: “Look, for example, Al Horford is a free agent. I don’t think at this point, it makes a lot of sense for Al Horford to be back in Boston. Maybe he will be, but given where things are with the Celtics, I think he’s now much more in play than he might’ve been a month ago.” Bontemps is trying to plant some ideas into Leon Rose’s mind? “Al Horford is a long-time friend of Karl Towns and has played with him on the Dominican national team for a long time. If they go get Al Horford this summer, who would be an unbelievable fit on this Knicks roster? And they go get another perimeter player to deepen their rotation.”
Nov 24, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Al Horford (42) is introduced before a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
To begin with, the veteran center, Al Horford‘s 2-year, $20 million extension that he signed with the Boston Celtics in 2022 is coming to an end this summer. With a current base salary of $9.4 million, the 38-year-old will become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. Moreover, the Celtics are looking for feasible trades to cool their burning wallets. So maybe, Horford to the Knicks is making some sense. Besides, he is an old ally of Karl-Anthony Towns. At the same time, the veteran’s inclusion would add depth to their roster, which again, is much-needed for a stronger core.
“And they have a bench of Al Horford, another ball handler. Choose McBride and Mitchell Robinson to go with their starting five. It’s a much better team. That’s a team that could beat the Pacers next year. That’s a team that’ll be in the Knicks in the East,” Tim Bontemps added. Meanwhile, the Knicks have yet to offer Mikal Bridges an extension. He will earn $24.9 million next season in the final year of his contract. More importantly, the Bridges trade fell flat as concerns grew after their Conference Finals collapse.
Mikal Bridges’s trade and defense: Two major concerns for the Knicks to deal with
The Knicks made their intentions clear when they shattered the vault for Mikal Bridges, signaling a long-term vision wrapped in bold ambition. In return for his services, they shipped out Bojan Bogdanovic, Shake Milton, and Mamadi Diakite to the Nets, alongside four unprotected first-round picks and one protected pick. At the same time, they parted ways with Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to land Karl-Anthony Towns from Minnesota. Every move screamed urgency, which didn’t play out to the tee.
“The Mikal Bridges trade really put the Knicks in a bind because they put all their chips on the table to get Mikal Bridges. They don’t really have the draft capital necessary to make that kind of swing,” Tim Bontemps further shared. “We saw [Luke Kornet]could get traded. Anything is possible. But I think it’s more likely if you look at this Knicks team, they have the tax mid-level exception they can use.”
Dec 30, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; New York Knicks forward Mikal Bridges (25) looks on during the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
The NBA projects the 2025-26 second apron threshold at $207,824,000, setting a clear financial line in the sand. As it stands, the Knicks are poised to stay just beneath it. That is, if they allow Precious Achiuwa to exit and proceed with signing both of their 2025 first-round selections. “They have playing time available. They’re in New York City. Like they should be able to get depth on the roster after their top seven guys. And if they add some depth to the roster beyond their top seven, so they’re not having the line right, taking open threes in the second half of the game that ended their season.” Scoring 9/32 three-pointers and letting the Pacers take 17/33? Wow! The Knicks really did fumble defensively.
Thus, the New York Knicks did not just lose a series. They lost rhythm, structure, and maybe even trust in their star-studded shuffle. Karl-Anthony Towns arrived with promise, and Mikal Bridges with a price, yet both left more questions than certainty. Still, the idea of retooling around KAT with Al Horford’s leadership and Bridges’ redemption arc could spark something special. If New York chooses wisely, this setback might just be the start of their finest act.
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