Day: November 10, 2024

Karl-Anthony Towns has had a good start to the season with the New York Knicks as he’s back to playing center full time for the first time in two years.

“I don’t just lose the ability to play the five,” Towns said on Friday when asked about being back at center.

Towns says his play is “just being able to do what I did a lot of years at the five.”

“I feel I’m a better version of myself,” Towns said. “I’m smarter, more experienced, I think I’m more talented than I’ve ever been. So being able to utilize that for our team is what I want to do every single night so it can translate to wins.”

Towns currently has the highest rebound rate of his career and his block rate is also up from where it was over the past two seasons after the Minnesota Timberwolves acquired Rudy Gobert to play center.

The New York Knicks plan on re-signing Landry Shamet once he recovers from his separated shoulder. Shamet was on track to make the Knicks’ regular season roster until his injury.

The Knicks selected Shamet in the G League draft to ensure they could oversee Shamet’s injury rehab.

Shamet, who was with the Washington Wizards last season, averaged 10.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 22.1 minutes over four preseason games.

The Milwaukee Bucks are not expected to any willingness to discuss Giannis Antetokounmpo and “it is understood quite clearly in 29 other front offices that Antetokounmpo is only ever going to be made available for trade if he pushes for it,” writes Marc Stein.

Several rival teams have begun internally planning for the possibility of an Antetokounmpo trade in the future if he decides to push for a trade.

The Bucks continue to search for possible trades to upgrade their roster around Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. But the Bucks hold limited assets and are also restricted by the second apron.

Antetokounmpo previously could have been a free agent in 2025, but he is not currently eligible until 2027. The Bucks signed Antetokounmpo to a three-year, $186 million extension before the 23-24 season after the team traded for Lillard.