Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns Excited for What New Stars Can Provide

The New York Knicks entered the NBA All-Star break on a high note, blowing out the Philadelphia 76ers in their final game before the stretch run of the season.

It was certainly nice for the players to get some time to rest, but it wasn’t vacation time for all of them. One of the newest Knicks, Jose Alvarado, was working hard during the break to get himself acclimated to a new team after being acquired from the New Orleans Pelicans.

Likely joining him, once he officially clears waivers and joins New York, is Jeremy Sochan. Recently released by the San Antonio Spurs, he picked the Knicks from a litany of contending teams lining up for his services.

While participating in the NBA All-Star festivities, Karl-Anthony Towns took some time during a press conference to praise his new teammates. He is excited to see what they bring to the court and how they can help the team reach its ultimate goal of winning an NBA championship.

Karl-Anthony Towns excited about his newest teammates

"I've been opponents against these guys. Now I get to call them teammates. It's so cool to see who he is as a locker room presence, what he brings to our team…We're blessed to have Jose, blessed to get Sochan. Those 2 are gonna be real big game changers for us," the All-Star center said.

"I've been opponents against these guys. Now I get to call them teammates. It's so cool to see who he is as a locker room presence, what he brings to our team…We're blessed to have Jose, blessed to get Sochan. Those 2 are gonna be real big game changers for us"

–– KAT pic.twitter.com/7daYcT9516
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) February 15, 2026

Towns has already seen firsthand the impact that Alvarado can have. He is only three games into his Knicks career, but he has made his presence felt each time he has taken the court.

The feisty defender has already showcased his patented backcourt sneak steal, which Towns noted during the interview. Philadelphia fell victim to it several times as he racked up five steals against them.

Not only was Alvarado’s defensive prowess on display, but so was his 3-point shooting. He made history, knocking down eight 3-pointers to go along with four assists and five steals in only 19 minutes of action.

The spark he has provided off the bench has been huge, especially with Miles McBride sidelined for the foreseeable future after undergoing core muscle surgery. Acquiring Alvarado to help compensate for that loss was massive ahead of the deadline.

Feb 11, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Knicks guard Jose Alvarado (5) shoots against the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Sochan was another player whom New York was looking to land before the deadline passed. The Knicks engaged the Spurs in trade talks, but were turned away because San Antonio didn’t want to take on Guerschon Yabusele and the player option he had for the 2026-27 season.

That option was amended and erased, which is why he was traded to the Chicago Bulls for Dalen Terry. New York wasted no time flipping Terry and two second-round picks to the Pelicans for Alvarado.

In the process, enough cap space was cleared that the Knicks could sign a player to a pro-rated veteran’s minimum immediately. Sochan will be filling that spot once he clears waivers, filling more needs on the roster.

He provides the team with a legitimate option at power forward and some much-needed size for the frontcourt. Not much of a threat offensively, especially as a shooter, he will make his impact on the defensive end.

As versatile as they come defensively, head coach Mike Brown is going to be able to get creative with some of his lineup combinations. Sochan provides high upside insurance as someone who has experience running an offense and as an elite point of attack defender.

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