Knicks Announce Troubling News on Thursday

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Gavin Groe | Last updated Oct 16, 2025 2:54 PM ET

The New York Knicks are entering the 2025–26 season with NBA title aspirations after falling short last year. The team has built a strong core around Jalen Brunson, surrounding him with one of the league’s best perimeter defenders in OG Anunoby and a versatile scorer in Karl-Anthony Towns. New York will be led by Mike Brown, who begins his first season as head coach.

Towns is entering his second year with the Knicks after a productive 2024–25 campaign in which he appeared in 72 games, averaging 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists in 35 minutes per game while shooting 52.6% from the field. Anunoby, now in his third season with the team, played 74 games last year and contributed 18.0 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 steals across 36.6 minutes per contest.

New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32)Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

As the Knicks prepare for their regular season opener on Wednesday, Oct. 22 against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Madison Square Garden, they may be shorthanded for their final preseason tune-up on Friday against the Charlotte Hornets. Both Towns and Anunoby appeared on Thursday’s injury report.

The Knicks announced that OG Anunoby tweaked his ankle and did not participate in practice, and Towns was limited to individual work due to a quad injury, which was later revealed to be a right quad strain, according to Ian Begley of Sportsnet New York. “We'd like to play our guys as close to normal rotation (and minutes per game) as possible... But, again, I'm not sure who's gonna play tomorrow,” Brown said.

OG Anunoby tweaked his ankle and didn’t practice today, per Knicks. Karl-Anthony Towns was limited to individual work today due to a quad injury, team says
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) October 16, 2025

Both Towns and Anunoby are key pieces of the Knicks’ roster. Towns is a five-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection who gives New York a reliable offensive weapon in the frontcourt. His ability to score from multiple spots makes him a matchup problem, though his defense remains a concern and has drawn criticism.

Anunoby helps offset that with his elite perimeter defense, often taking on the toughest assignments and setting the tone on that end of the floor. With the season just days away, New York will monitor both players closely, hoping to avoid beginning the regular season shorthanded.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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