Karl-Anthony Towns’ contract dispute makes him the perfect Rockets trade target

Now that preseason basketball is in full swing, offcourt drama isn’t receiving as much attention anymore. But the one exception recently has been Karl-Anthony Towns, whose contract extension talks have seemingly stalled with the Knicks. In light of this development, the Rockets should be targeting him as a potential high-profile trade target.

KAT would be an incredible fit in Houston

This offseason showed us how far contract disputes can go, so the Knicks could understandably be interested in dealing Towns before his situation becomes a distraction. And the Rockets could be just the team to take him off their hands. Houston has the right asset pool to make a competitive offer, and Towns has the right skillset to fit right into the Rockets’ best lineups.

Obviously, Towns would bring a lot of playoff experience as a recently-crowned champion and established All-Star that’s made multiple deep playoff runs. But more importantly, his shooting from the center position would unlock a completely new dimension for the Rockets. Amen Thompson in particular would benefit hugely from the additional space provided by Towns’ gravity.

Defensively, Towns has shown he can hold up with good game planning too. He was solid, and even great at times, on that end during the Knicks’ championship run. He also did well defensively during his last couple seasons in Minnesota. Towns can add a lot of value as a defensive rebounder and surprisingly versatility in different schemes.

The Rockets should make a big offer for KAT

If it becomes clear that KAT could be tradable, the Rockets should jump in as soon as possible. Houston is in a weird spot this season with an accelerated timeline due to Kevin Durant’s age butting up against a young core and players returning from injury. But Towns could change all that and make the Rockets an instant title contender.

The most obvious key piece that would need to leave in a trade is Alperen Sengun. Sengun is already a 2-time All-Star at age 24, but his fit alongside Thompson long-term is questionable. He’s nearly 7 years younger than Towns, so there will be some appeal in youth and a cheaper contract for the Knicks.

But New York will likely demand more on top of Sengun, which is where the Rockets’ asset chest of picks comes into play. Houston not only has control of its own picks going forward, but also has swap rights with the Nets in next year’s draft. That pick has the potential to land very high and sweeten the Rockets’ offer for Towns.

If the Rockets can pull off a Towns acquisition, he’ll be the perfect piece to complete their rotation now and in the future. As a star in the late part of his prime, Towns can bridge the gap between Durant and Thompson to keep the Rockets competitive for years to come.

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