Mar 20, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts to a no call during the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

Here is what Charlotte would likely have to give up to make Karl-Anthony Towns a Hornet

Originally posted on Charlotte Hornets on SI
By Zach Roberts | Last updated Jun 16, 2025 8:39 AM ET

With the New York Knicks exploring avenues to improve or change things in 2025-26, Karl-Anthony Towns could be available by trade.

Their blockbuster deal for the center did help them get deep in the playoffs, but he could be going elsewhere. Whether by a three-team deal for Kevin Durant or not, Towns might be on the market, and the Charlotte Hornets have been connected to the player.

What would it cost for them to swing a trade for him?

A lot, unless it was the three-team deal for Durant, although that would still require some significant salary matching for Towns' $53.1 million salary.

To match salaries, the Hornets could pair Miles Bridges and Jusuf Nurkic, an expiring contract. That would give the Knicks a lot more financial freedom and a big man to fill the immediate void. It would also prevent the Hornets from sending out too much depth, but that alone wouldn't get the deal done.

Towns may not be an All-NBA first-team star, but he's an elite NBA player. Even at $53.1 million and almost 30, he'll cost a few picks on top of the players being sent out. Charlotte would probably have to package a 2027 first-round pick, a 2030 first-round pick (via Los Angeles Lakers), and a 2026 second-round pick (via Golden State Warriors).

Would this be worth it? Perhaps in the short term, but the Hornets aren't good enough to be making short-term moves like that. They need to be bringing in assets, not forking them over for veteran stars on expensive contracts who won't make them a Finals contender. If they're moving on from Mark Williams as the starter, it shouldn't be for Towns.

Towns does things on offense better than Williams, obviously. He's a much better shooter and therefore spaces the floor better than Williams by a wide margin. He's also a better rebounder overall. His passing is pretty solid for a big man, too.

However, the problem with Charlotte's center spot isn't offense. They don't necessarily need that with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller on the roster. They need defense, which Towns does not give. He got targeted a bunch in the Eastern Conference Finals, and it cost the Knicks.

Towns' 112.7 defensive rating is better than Williams' 118.9 from 2024, but it's not good enough to make a difference, at least not at the cost the Hornets would have to pay. Towns would be an upgrade certainly, but he's not an upgrade in the way they need, which makes the exorbitant pricetag too much.

Would Charlotte make the playoffs in this situation? Maybe in a weak Eastern Conference, but they probably wouldn't last long as a contender, and they'd be right back to this spot in a few years.