Brooklyn Nets Land Karl-Anthony Towns in Ridiculous Trade Idea With Knicks

A ridiculous trade idea suggests the Brooklyn Nets could acquire Karl-Anthony Towns from the Knicks in a shocking proposal.

Jan 21, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets center Nic Claxton (33) and guard Tyrese Martin (13) fight with New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) for a rebound in the second quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Last summer, the New York Knicks became true title contenders thanks to the Brooklyn Nets. Brooklyn helped further New York's Villanova core, sending Mikal Bridges to its cross-town rival while kicking off a full-fledged rebuild.

That deal made sense for both sides—regardless of the cutthroat rivalry.

This however, does not. A proposal has been making rounds online where the two franchises come together again, this time striking a move that wouldn't really benefit either side. Here's the trade breakdown:

Brooklyn Nets Receive:

Karl-Anthony Towns

New York Knicks Receive:

Nic Claxton, 2028 first-round pick (PHI), 2031 first-round pick (BKN)

Pretty much the only thing this proposed deal accomplishes is shedding salary for the Knicks, while picking up two future first-rounders—which the Nets would never do.

Brooklyn is still quite far away from contention, and this move reflects a team that just had a near-postseason berth and is full of young, star talent. The players aren't on the same level, but a fair comparison to this mock deal would be Kevin Durant landing with the Houston Rockets.

Introduce a superstar to an exciting young core and see how far you can go.

That is not the situation the Nets are presently in. Brooklyn is essentially heading into year one of its rebuild. Last year really should be looked at as year zero, since the franchise didn't possess a single draft selection at the time of the commitment.

Plus, the Nets are only a year removed from handing Claxton a brand new deal, signaling a desire for him to anchor the frontcourt for at least another four years.

Would this be a "fun" headline for NBA fans to debate? Absolutely. That doesn't mean it could or should happen.

The Knicks came two wins away from a Finals appearance. Yes, the cap problems may arise, but ending the Towns experiment after one season would be a huge mistake. And sending him to the Nets would be an even bigger one.

New York could absolutely receive a better package from someone other than Brooklyn. The proposal just doesn't make sense—even if the two sides managed to benefit one another with the Bridges deal last year.

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