New York Knicks Wanted Walker Kessler Trade Before Karl-Anthony Towns Deal, NBA Insider Reveals

The New York Knicks landed Karl-Anthony Towns in a massive trade but according to an NBA insider, they had their eyes on someone else before that.

Karl-Anthony Towns was acquired by the New York Knicks from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a blockbuster trade that rocked the NBA scene during a largely dull offseason, in part because of the new CBA, which restricted teams’ methods of roster building. Nevertheless, this deal is significant not just because of the names involved but also because it has the potential to change the Eastern Conference’s power dynamics.

However, the Towns trade may not have happened had the Knicks landed Walker Kessler from the Utah Jazz instead. The Knicks’ frontcourt depth was reduced when Isaiah Hartenstein signed a free agent contract to play with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren on the Oklahoma City Thunder.