The New York Knicks have officially been eliminated from the NBA Playoffs. After losing in Game 6 to the Indiana Pacers by a final score of 125-108 on Saturday evening, they have come up two wins short of the NBA Finals.
While the team put up a great fight, they simply were not good enough to knock off the Pacers. Now, they will head into the offseason with major questions about what to do next.
On the outside looking in, the Knicks have an extremely talented roster. Led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, the front office went all-in on building a championship contender this season. How do they take the next step?
Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images
There will be a lot of questions for New York to answer this offseason. Do the Knicks think they can win with the current core in place? Are depth moves needed to further support the star power in the starting lineup?
Read more: Pacers’ Tyrese Haliburton Sends Clear Message to Knicks With Game 6 Outfit
One notable NBA reporter thinks that the first order of business should be moving on from one of their stars.
Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer believes that the top priority of the offseason for New York should be trading Towns.
“Trading KAT should be priority #1 for the Knicks,” O’Connor posted on X.
Towns put together a strong initial season with the Knicks. He averaged 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and a steal per game in 72 appearances. In the playoffs, he poured in 21.4 points and 11.6 rebounds per game.
Moving on from Towns would be an aggressive move. He was the clear second-best player and a great running mate alongside of Brunson. During the series against Indiana, he was also dealing with a knee injury that clearly impacted how he played.
Read more: Former Lakers Champion Criticizes LeBron James, Luka Doncic Pairing
Shaking things up after just one year and a run to the Eastern Conference Finals might be a bit of an overreaction. New York could use some work around the edges, but the team is not far off from being a championship caliber squad.
Instead of giving up on Towns and getting rid of him, the Knicks could focus on adding more shooting. Bringing in an elite three-point threat would have been a major help against the Pacers. Perhaps moving one of Mikal Bridges or OG Anunboy would be the better big change if they choose to make one.
Expect to hear a lot of news surrounding New York this offseason. Towns could be on the market, but that seems a bit hasty to call for at this point.
For more New York Knicks and general NBA news, head over to Newsweek Sports.
