Ben Stiller Defends Karl-Anthony Towns Amidst Knicks Trade Rumors

The NBA‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ trade deadline not only brings out the worst in social media speculation, but also reveals the real connection of a player.

New York Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns is at the center of trade rumors again as Feb. 5 nears, with his name being thrown around in trade rumors surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo and other star players.

Among the people who have come to Towns' defense is Ben Stiller, the famous actor and Knicks fan, who took it upon himself to protect the big man from the endless trade rumors.

Hollywood Backing for a Struggling Star

Stiller recently tweeted:

"I’m no expert and just a fan but my feeling is KAT wants to win. Period. It’s clear he’s completely dedicated through a hailstorm of clickbait rumors. Trying to find his way with so many distractions and shots not dropping is still a +19 and has record breaking half of 16 rebounds and the pass of the season. He’s a pro and and an all star all nba and in slump but the best shooting big man maybe ever. So when the trade deadline comes and goes we’ll be lucky to have him and this team is going to battle out the east together. But that’s me."

I’m no expert and just a fan but my feeling is KAT wants to win. Period. It’s clear he’s completely dedicated through a hailstorm of clickbait rumors. Trying to find his way with so many distractions and shots not dropping is still a +19 and has record breaking half of 16…
— Ben Stiller (@BenStiller) January 29, 2026

Stiller's‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ optimism isn't without reason. Towns' combination of skills stays top tier even when he hits a cold streak as he did in January, and shooting percentages vary game after game during the 82-game season.

The main issue is if the management is on the same page with that kind of patience and doesn't see him as a mere asset to be traded ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌for.

The Giannis Situation Created Lasting Damage

One‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ of the major consequences of the heated trade talks centering around Towns and Antetokounmpo last summer has been a hidden rift.

According to an article by Sam Amick of The Athletic, discussions between the Knicks and Milwaukee about a trade involving Towns for Antetokounmpo led to bad feelings that still haven't gone away.

He wrote:

“Just ask the Knicks, whose talks with the Bucks about Antetokounmpo last summer led to hard feelings with Karl-Anthony Towns that, per team sources, remain to this day."

Now, the franchise has to tread very carefully. Towns has been the subject of trade rumors for almost a year since coming over from Minnesota, and finding out that he was the centerpiece in a potential deal for Giannis must have hurt him deeply.

Irrespective of whether a deal is reached by the deadline or not, the fallout from those talks might have a negative impact on the team's chemistry for a long ‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌time.

Recent Performance Tells a Complex Story

Jan 24, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) drives against Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) during the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Towns'‍‌‍‍‌‍‌‍‍‌ January stats show the difficulties he has had - averaging a mere 16 points for the month and shooting at a rather shaky rate.

He has scored less than 20 points for four consecutive games, including a meager eight points against Toronto.

His rebounding, however, is of an exceptional standard. His 22 rebounds (season-high) against the Raptors also led to his 30th double-double this season.

Towns, on the outside, just ignored the trade talks, claiming that his attention is on winning and that he is willing to make sacrifices for the team.

The Knicks have 29 wins against 18 losses and are already dreaming of the championship, with Towns being part of those dreams, at the very least, for now.

The question of whether Stiller's belief is right or not will be answered by whether the front office can restore the trust broken by the trade talks.

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