Joel Embiid owns Karl-Anthony Towns: Why the East hasn’t changed much after the Knicks make blockbuster trade ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season

The New York Knicks went all in last night, landing Karl-Anthony Towns in a massive trade with the Timberwolves that sent Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a future first-round pick to Minnesota.

You have to think that Thibs influenced this decision by bringing in a player from his coaching tenure in Minnesota, right? That along with losing Isaiah Hartenstein, an important contributor in the paint, also pushed the Knicks to seek help in the front court. As for the T-Wolves, they definitely aren’t the losers in this trade. The additions of Randle and DiVincenzo will bring toughness and physicality to a roster that already includes Anthony Edwards and Rudy Gobert.

On paper, the Knicks seem like they took the next step in becoming a elite team in the Eastern Conference. However, losing Donte DiVincenzo will be significant, as he performs exceptionally well in high-pressure moments, including the playoffs. DiVincenzo becomes like prime Klay Thompson in the postseason, and as a Villanova Wildcats fan, I’ll always remember his 31-point game in the 2018 National Championship.

So, for Karl-Anthony Towns, this is a good fit with all the scoring options on the Knicks, that already features a lineup of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby.

However, while many fans are crowning the Knicks the 2025 NBA Champions, they’re overlooking one crucial detail.

Joel Embiid Owns Karl-Anthony Towns

My thoughts on the Knicks trading for KAT: pic.twitter.com/H0ta7c1d07

— Josh Reynolds (@JoshReynolds24) September 28, 2024

Karl-Anthony Towns is very talented, but now in the East, he’ll have to compete against top big men, including his toughest opponent, Joel Embiid.

In their 11 head-to-head matchups, Embiid has won eight of them and posed much better box score averages than KAT. It’s also worth noting that Embiid had a 51 point, 14 rebound, and 8 assist night against KAT in 2023.

Head-to-head stats

Joel Embiid: 28.6 PPG, 9.7 RPG, 3.2 APG, 0.8 SPG, 1.4 BPG

KAT: 21.4 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 2.2 APG, 1.0 SPG, 1.0 BPG

Men lie, women lie, numbers don’t.

This matchup has been very one-sided. Embiid’s impact on both offense and defense has overwhelmed Towns. In their last ten games, Embiid has shot over 50% while limiting Towns’ shooting efficiency when they face off.

As Karl-Anthony Towns moves to the East, the matchup against Embiid will intensify. They will meet more often, giving us a chance to reignite this “rivalry.” However, until Towns improves his performance, expect to hear “MVP” chants from both the Wells Fargo Center and Madison Maxey Square Garden as Embiid remains dominant.

The focus is on the new Knicks against the 76ers. Mikal Bridges is a solid addition for Philly, but Paul George’s arrival is even more significant. Although the Knicks ended the Sixers’ season last postseason, they lost an important player in the process. Trading Donte in a package to the T-Wolves in return for Towns may seem like an improvement, but it actually weakens the Knicks in this matchup.

DiVincenzo was the x-factor for the Knicks against the Sixers throughout the first-round playoff series last season. While KAT is a stronger offensive player, the Knicks – much like every team in the NBA – still lack a solution slow down a healthy Joel Embiid.

Actually scratch that. Even with Embiid playing on one knee and with half of a functioning face he still dominated the Knicks during the playoffs and when you mix in the addition of Karl-Anthony Towns, Embiid will seek out that one-on-one matchup like there’s blood in the water.

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