The Charlotte Hornets' front office is likely going to be busy hunting for opportunities to facilitate big trades this season. And Karl-Anthony Towns potentially feeling discontent with the New York Knicks could present the Hornets with the opening to acquire more assets.
New York is at a crossroads after bringing in Mike Brown as the head coach this offseason. Naturally, changing the man on the sidelines usually entails a major shift in a team's offensive and defensive schemes. That's what seems to be happening with the Knicks.
Under Brown, they are set to shoot a ton of 3-pointers. However, Towns does not appear to be among the players who will see a significant uptick in their attempts from downtown.
For someone who once proclaimed himself as the "greatest big man shooter of all time" and has sunk 40.0 percent of his 3-point shots over his career, not getting the green light to make it splash can really be frustrating. Maybe if he knew his role on offense, Towns would be fine even if he can't use one of his most potent assets. That's not the case, though.
Karl-Anthony Towns is asked about his potential in the Knicks' new offense under Mike Brown:
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) October 20, 2025
"Honestly, I don't know - but we're figuring it out" pic.twitter.com/yFnR1j0bjB
Implications for Hornets of an unlikely but not implausible Karl-Anthony Towns trade
It is too early to tell if the five-time All-Star's New York tenure will end without him completing two full seasons with the organization. In all likelihood, the 2025-26 campaign will end with Towns still wearing a Knicks jersey and the team embarking on a deep playoff run.
Still, it is intriguing to wonder how things would turn out if KAT's disposition during his recent media appearance doesn't change — or even worsens — as the season progresses. If it comes to the point that he asks for a trade, finding a deal could be complicated because of his massive salary and the team being hard-capped at the second apron.
Bringing in at least one more squad with enough financial flexibility, such as the Hornets, could make a trade work. They also have tradeable contracts to match salaries.
Funnily enough, Charlotte was involved in the mega-deal that brought Towns to New York from the Minnesota Timberwolves last year. It secured multiple second-round picks while not giving up much in the process. How crazy would it be if the Hornets manage to pull off a similar stunt for the second time? The odds of it happening may be slim to none, but wilder things have happened in the league.