Paul George understands why the Knicks made the move for Karl-Anthony Towns.
The perennial All-Star forward, now with the Philadelphia 76ers on a four-year, $211 million contract, was asked about the blockbuster trade after Sixers practice on Friday. The Knicks sent Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo — two integral pieces from last season’s success — to Minnesota in exchange for Towns.
“Terrible, terrible trade. Karl is awful, he’s old. That was a bad trade to give up Julius for Kat,” George deadpanned, before breaking into a grin, in a video shared by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey. “I’m kidding. Obviously, Karl is one of my closest friends. Kat, he’s a good touch. It’s a win for a win to give up Julius for Kat. Both of those guys are very, very skilled, very good.”
George noted how Towns, a career 39.8% three-point shooter and winner of the 2022 NBA Three-Point Contest, enhances the Knicks’ ability to space the floor, especially in five-out sets.
“I think for that group and what they envision, it kind of gives them more space for Jalen [Brunson] and that offense to thrive,” George explained. “Obviously Kat is one of the best three-point shooters in the history of the league, so I get the dynamic they wanted there.”
George joined a Sixers squad that the Knicks ousted in the first round of the playoffs last season.
He left the Los Angeles Clippers to form a Big 3 with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, and Philadelphia, too, had a compelling offseason, prying Caleb Martin away from the Miami Heat, adding Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon and Reggie Jackson, and re-signing Kyle Lowry.
The Sixers also signed Guerschon Yabusele, a standout for Team France in the 2024 Paris Olympics, and Kenyon Martin Jr. is also expected to see the floor for the Sixers this season.
The Sixers and Knicks (and the Milwaukee Bucks, provided Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard stay healthy) are Eastern Conference contenders looking to challenge the reigning champion Boston Celtics.
The Cleveland Cavaliers, who hired a new head coach in Kenny Atkinson, are expected to take a leap, as are the Orlando Magic, who signed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope away from the Denver Nuggets.
Plus, the Indiana Pacers made a run to the Eastern Conference Finals, albeit against injury-riddled competition in the first two rounds of the playoffs.
The Knicks finished with the East’s No. 2 seed and won 50 games last season for the first time in a decade.
They then traded five first-round picks to acquire Mikal Bridges from Brooklyn and acquired Towns, who joined the team on Thursday, for their biggest move of the offseason.
The Knicks also lost Isaiah Hartenstein to the Oklahoma City Thunder, re-signed OG Anunoby to a franchise-record contract, brought back Precious Achiuwa on a one-year deal and signed Cameron Payne for veteran back court depth. They also have signed Landry Shamet, Chuma Okeke and T.J. Warren to training camp deals.
“It’s gonna be interesting,” George said. “Obviously the Knicks are on the rise, as well as ourselves and a couple other teams out East. But they definitely made a splash with that [Towns] pickup.”
