NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - OCTOBER 30: New York Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau stands on the court during the first quarter of a NBA game against the New Orleans Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on October 30, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
3 Stars Knicks should avoid like the plague if they become available
Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks. (Photo by Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports) – New York Knicks
2: Trae Young
The Trae Young trade rumor mill has been out in full force. After trading for 2022 All-Star Dejounte Murray last summer, the Hawks struggled in 2022-23 but still managed to post a 41-41 record to secure a spot in the play-in tournament. Atlanta advanced past the play-in but was ousted by Boston in the first round.
Young and the Hawks had their fair share of drama this past season that included a rift between the guard and former head coach Nate McMillan, who was fired midseason and replaced with Quin Snyder. The move was viewed as a way to appease Young but that might not be enough to keep him in Atlanta. He signed a five-year, $207 million extension in 2021 and since then, the Hawks have suffered back-to-back first-round playoff exists.
Young still has three full seasons left on his current contract. He’s due $40 million in 2023-24, $43 million in 2024-25, and $46 million in 2025-26. He has a $48.9 million early termination option in the 2026 offseason that he could use to become a free agent. Is that really a contract that the Knicks should want to take on, especially with the new CBA?
The guard’s offensive inconsistencies as well as his lack of defensive presence are two other reasons why New York should pass on a Young trade. The Knicks need shooting and Young is a career 35.1% three-point shooter and shot 33.5% from deep this past season. He wouldn’t help much in that area. A Brunson-Young backcourt is an idea that shouldn’t be explored.
Let a team like the Lakers be the ones to land Trae Young if he is traded this summer.
!["New](https://dailyknicks.com/2023/06/04/3-stars-knicks-avoid-plague-become-available-towns-young-lillard/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1706,w_2560/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fimagn-images%2F2023%2F05%2F20005086-scaled.jpeg")
like the Lakers</a> be the ones to land Trae Young if he is traded this summer.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #007BC1" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://dailyknicks.com/2023/06/04/3-stars-knicks-avoid-plague-become-available-towns-young-lillard/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> A big no </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-144083" src=https://dailyknicks.com/2023/06/04/3-stars-knicks-avoid-plague-become-available-towns-young-lillard/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1638,w_2560/https%3A%2F%2Fdailyknicks.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2023%2F05%2F1440839334-scaled.jpeg" alt="New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves, Karl-Anthony Towns" width="2560" height="1638" srcset="https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2023/05/1440839334-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2023/05/1440839334-768x492.jpeg 768w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2023/05/1440839334-1536x983.jpeg 1536w, https://dailyknicks.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2023/05/1440839334-2048x1311.jpeg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px"><p class="wp-caption-text">Karl-Anthony Towns, Minnesota Timberwolves. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) – New York Knicks</p>
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<h3>1: Karl-Anthony Towns</h3>
<p>It’s only the beginning of June and the Karl-Anthony Towns speculation has already gotten old. Yes, he has a connection with the Knicks as a CAA client and played under Tom Thibodeau in Minnesota, but no, New York <a href=https://dailyknicks.com/2023/06/04/3-stars-knicks-avoid-plague-become-available-towns-young-lillard/2/"https://dailyknicks.com/2023/05/21/pros-cons-knicks-trading-caa-client-karl-anthony-towns/">shouldn’t trade for him</a> if the Timberwolves do decide to make a blockbuster trade for the second straight summer.</p>
<p>Towns is a stretch five that can space the floor as a 39.5% career three-point shooter, which would be nice to see in New York’s offense. However, the four-year, $224 million supermax extension that he signed last summer means the Knicks would be taking on an absurd contract if a trade were to happen. KAT will be making upwards of $50 million between 2024-25 and 2027-28 (a $62 million player option).</p>
<p>The 27-year-old doesn’t have the playoff experience that New York should be seeking in a star, either. He isn’t responsible for building a winning team in Minnesota, but the Timberwolves haven’t made it to the second round since drafting Towns No. 1 overall in 2015.</p>
<p>Not to mention, Towns is coming off a season where he played only 29 games. If the Knicks are going to go all-in on a star, it needs to be for one that doesn’t have an extensive injury history.</p>
<p>The KAT trade chatter may end up not mattering at all because Minnesota could decide to not make him available in trade talks if he doesn’t request a trade himself. However, if a Towns trade does happen this offseason, it doesn’t need to be to the team that he grew up rooting for.</p>
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