The atmosphere inside Madison Square Garden shifted from competitive to combustible when the Knicks’ hosted the Portland Trail Blazers. And it had nothing to do with the Blazers. Karl-Anthony Towns’ frustrations spilled over both during the game and in the sidelines, taking away the spotlight from his stellar performance. While the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes are heating up, the Knicks’ internal strife is looking a lot bigger than it should be.

KAT was a rebounding machine, tallying 20 to go with his 14 points. Six of them were in six minutes! And he was instrumental in leading the Knicks to a 127-97 win. But the game was not going the way he wanted.

He was apparently frustrated with not getting the ball enough and the lack of ball movement. Social media users shared a few moments when KAT was open but his teammates didn’t pass the ball. The lack of touches made him lash out at a teammate.

Cameras caught him having words with Mitchell Robinson. Now what was said it unclear. Robinson also looked frustrated. Some theorized that the Knicks’ backup rebounder was in fiery agreement with whatever KAT was saying. Others firmly believe he was mad at Robinson who had two points, seven rebounds, and two assists tonight.

Adding to his frustrations, Towns has been benched in crunch time or late quarters multiple times this season, often in favor of more defensive-minded lineups with Mitchell Robinson at center and players like Josh Hart, OG Anunoby, or Miles McBride. This has led to visible frustration.

Against the Sacramento Kings on Jan. 27, Towns was benched for the final 6:51 (roughly 7 minutes), replaced by Mitchell Robinson and a defensive lineup including Miles McBride and OG Anunoby. Coach Mike Brown stuck with the hot group to close out the game. Towns responded postgame: “He saw what he saw. We got a win, that’s the most important thing.”

Then, in the game against the Philadelphia 76ers, he was benched again—this time for fouling out after 6 fouls in just 16 minutes.

These decisions tie into Brown’s emphasis on defensive identity and “playing the right way” (toughness, ball movement), even when Towns performs offensively. Despite the setbacks, Towns has generally taken the high road publicly, prioritizing team wins over personal role.

Despite extending their winning streak to five games and Jalen Brunson racking up 10k career points, the underlying stress of the Knicks’ looming roster changes became impossible to ignore.

Karl-Anthony Towns’ outburst just showed the pressure on every player in New York is reaching a boiling point as the trade deadline looms closer.

Karl-Anthony Towns might benefit from Knicks getting Giannis Antetokounmpo

With the Bucks’ season spiraling into uncertainty, the New York Knicks have increasingly surfaced as a potential landing spot for Giannis Antetokounmpo in trade speculation. A blockbuster move bringing the Greek Freak to the Big Apple would instantly reshape the Eastern Conference and dramatically transform New York’s roster construction.

However, pulling off such a deal would require a massive package from the Knicks, one almost certainly centered around Karl-Anthony Towns’ max contract to make the salaries work. While Towns remains one of the league’s most gifted offensive big men, his recent crunch-time benchings have raised questions about his long-term fit in New York.

Those frustrations mirror Giannis’ own growing discontent in Milwaukee, creating a scenario in which a change of scenery could make sense for both sides.

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From a financial standpoint, the Knicks would need to create additional flexibility to even entertain a trade of this magnitude.

That likely begins with offloading Guerschon Yabusele’s contract to free up room for Mitchell Robinson’s extension, a move that could strengthen their overall offer.

Robinson, meanwhile, has quietly reestablished himself as a defensive anchor. Particularly under Mike Brown’s system – helping fuel lineups that have occasionally sidelined KAT in pivotal moments, including the recent win over Sacramento.

Brown’s defensive-first philosophy has only elevated Robinson’s importance to the roster, potentially making him difficult to part with unless included in a carefully structured package.

In that context, swapping Towns for Giannis could provide a cleaner financial path while better aligning with Antetokounmpo’s championship timeline.

If the pieces fall into place, what currently feels like bold speculation could evolve into a mutually beneficial reset for both franchises.