The Knicks changed drastically overnight, and the Raptors officially announced their takeover, finally welcoming heroes to the world

With Siakam defeating Halliburton and Honor was crowned the Eastern Conference champion MVP, the Indiana Pacers undoubtedly gained unprecedented attention. However, they may not have expected that the New York Knicks—although unfortunately stopped, they showed amazing energy in creating topics. According to Kevin O'Connor, a well-known NBA analyst, the Knicks urgently need to adjust the roster this year's offseason after being eliminated by the Pacers in the playoffs, and Carl Anthony Towns became the focus of the deal. This sudden and explosive news undoubtedly confused and puzzled many fans.

After all, this former No. 1 pick showed comprehensive strength in the regular season, averaging 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game, and his three-point shooting percentage was as high as 42%, and his overall performance was excellent. Especially in the third game of the Pacers series, Towns stood up in the last quarter and scored 20 points, almost helping the Knicks recover their defeat with his own strength and avoiding the embarrassment of being swept away. However, even though he tried his best, he still failed to win the recognition and satisfaction of New York fans. The arrival of

Downs not only did not bring the expected glory to the Knicks, but instead became the biggest disappointment in the hearts of fans. His joining seems to have overdrawn the team's substitute lineup depth, resulting in the incoming players such as Julius Randle, Dont Divinsonzo, Keita Bates-Dippo being put on the shelves; and young talents such as Charlie Brown, Daquan Jeffries, and Duane Washington Jr. have also become victims of balancing salary. In addition, the Knicks had to take advantage of two second-round draft picks as compensation. This series of operations undoubtedly caused irreversible damage to the Knicks' lineup.

Under the pressure of salary pressure, management can only look for opportunities on Taobao in the free market. However, such helpless moves made the Knicks' second lineup fragile and difficult to deal with high-intensity games. As the head coach, Thibodeau has a clear understanding of this. He knew very well that once the second team was allowed to play, he would likely give up the advantages that the starting players had worked hard to establish. Therefore, he would rather let the starting five play the game than take the risk of letting the substitute play. Such tactical arrangements result in the starting players' playing time far exceeding the average level in the regular season.

However, even though they made such great efforts, they still could not get the recognition and support of their teammates. According to famous reporter Shams, the Knicks organized many meetings in which only players participated during the playoffs. This move just exposed the profound contradictions and differences within the team. Despite reports that Thibodeau's coaching position is still stable, the conflicts between players are increasingly intensifying. At this moment, rumors about Towns trades were flying everywhere, undoubtedly adding another fire to this already turbulent team.

Looking back at the level shown by the Knicks this year's playoffs, it is not difficult to see that the combination of Brunson and Towns has serious mismatch problems. As a big core of ball holding, Brunson controls most of the team's tactical initiation power. He holds the ball for too long, which to a certain extent weakens Towns' role on the offensive end and also brings him a lot of negative emotions. More importantly, Towns' contribution on the defensive end is almost negligible. As a big player, he is unwilling to fight fiercely with his opponents in the penalty area, but chooses to stand far away from the basket. Such a defensive attitude not only led to the Knicks being at a disadvantage in the competition for frontcourt rebounds, but also gave the opponent a chance to attack for a second time.

Knicks' offensive rhythm is distinct and highly targeted, but such a tactical system has not been recognized and supported by all teammates. Especially Towns' performance on the defensive end has aroused dissatisfaction and doubts among his teammates. At this time, the Toronto Raptors seemed to be unable to contain their inner restlessness. According to famous reporter Vincenster, the Raptors are trying to sign a well-known star in the trading market, and Towns' name quickly became related to the rumor. Although the Raptors will not take the initiative to advance the deal, Towns' trading prospects are becoming increasingly worrying.

However, this does not affect the Knicks' search for a suitable buyer. According to Bailey Bassett, the Orlando Magic may be the savior the Knicks are looking for. The Magic are willing to give Jonathan Isaac, Wendell Carter Jr., Cole Anthony, Jet Howard, Mo Wagner and first-round picks in 2025 and 2027 (16 picks respectively) in exchange for Towns' joining. If this transaction plan is finally passed, the Knicks' substitute lineup depth will be greatly strengthened; and the Orlando Magic are expected to launch a strong impact on the championship under the leadership of Sages, Wagner Jr. and Towns.