In light of their offseason roster moves, the New York Knicks were expected to be one of the top teams in the East this season. While they have lived up to this reputation for the most part, recent videos involving Karl-Anthony Towns may suggest that tensions are brewing.
The Knicks (48-28) are coming off an underwhelming outing against the Houston Rockets. After suffering a 111-94 loss, the Knicks find themselves on a three-game losing streak. While this is concerning, Karl-Anthony Towns’ visible frustration with the team and Mike Brown may be more pressing.
During Tuesday night’s game against the Rockets, the Knicks could be seen discussing something in a huddle. Surprisingly, however, Towns missed the huddle and was seated as far away from his teammates as possible.
Karl-Anthony Towns skipped the Knicks huddle tonight 😬
(Via anthonyisaiah_m/IG, h/t @BigKnickEnergy_)pic.twitter.com/UxQGucBF4m
— Fullcourtpass (@Fullcourtpass) April 1, 2026
Needless to say, the optics aren’t good for the Knicks or Towns.
Although the big man had been vocal about uncertainty with his role early in the season, it seemed as though he had found his place in Mike Brown’s rotations. Unfortunately, given how the situation has played out, it appears that the problems are resurfacing.
Another instance involving Karl-Anthony Towns that stood out was the play to close out the first half. The Knicks’ center made a vital extra pass to the corner to give OG Anunoby an open look at the rim. While the team rushed to celebrate with Anunoby after he hit the buzzer-beating three, Towns remained aloof, even walking away from his teammates.
JB to KAT to OG to end half
Build off this pic.twitter.com/rjo7ryPCv3
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) April 1, 2026
For the most part, Towns’ body language reflects poorly on him as a leader. But there may be more that could justify it.
This season, the Knicks’ big man is averaging 20.1 points and 11.9 rebounds per game while shooting 49.4% from the field and 36.8% from three-point range. For all intents and purposes, these are solid figures. But considering Towns’ stats from last season, there is a notable decline.
Last season, Karl-Anthony Towns averaged 24.4 points and 12.8 rebounds per game while shooting 52.6% from the field and 42.0% from three-point range. Given that he attempted 16.9 shots per game last year, his current average of 13.9 shot attempts indicates how restricted he has been on offense.
Towns is widely regarded as one of the best floor-spacing big men in the league. While he continues to live up to this title, in Mike Brown’s system, it is growing increasingly apparent that his role on the offensive end isn’t as clearly defined as it was under Tom Thibodeau.
Towns’ usage rate also indicates how much his role has reduced. Even though Jalen Brunson was New York’s most vital player last season, Towns had a usage rate of 26.5% (49th in the NBA). This season, it has dropped to 25.1% (62nd in the NBA).
The Knicks’ current form may be a good reason for his frustration, but Towns’ tribulations are rooted much deeper. Given how impactful he can be, the Knicks will need Towns to be engaged if they intend to contend for the title.
With six games left in the season, New York will need to stop the bleeding as soon as possible. Given that they are also tasked with addressing Karl-Anthony Towns’ displeasure with the coaching now, the challenges seem to be accumulating for the Knicks.
