Knicks’ Tom Thibodeau will face his biggest test after trading for Karl-Anthony Towns

After making a blockbuster deal to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Knicks are all-in on a championship. But making such a large trade ratchets up the pressure.

There’s some pressure on Towns to fit in. There’s also pressure on the front office for the trade to work out. Arguably, much of the pressure will fall on Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau to make it all work. It will be the most substantial test the coach has faced since signing with the club in 2020.

After leading the Knicks to two playoff series wins and a 175-143 record after four seasons, Thibodeau signed a three-year contract extension that will keep him with the Knicks through the 2027-28 season. Thibodeau has taken the Knicks to the most success the franchise has experienced in the last two decades.

In the past four years, the Knicks have grown from happy to make the playoffs to a contender. With contender status comes expectations. New York’s moves to acquire Towns and Mikal Bridges have put a spotlight on the club. The Knicks likely head into the season with the highest expectations for the franchise since the start of the century.

Adding Towns is a massive talent upgrade for the Knicks but it also takes Thibodeau out of his comfort zone as a coach. During his four-year tenure, Thibodeau has succeeded with a low-usage center that focused on offensive rebounding and rim protection. Since the 2020-21 season, no Knicks starting center has averaged more than 8.5 points.

With a career average of 22.9 points in nine years, Towns is completely different. He is an elite scoring center that causes havoc for opposing defenses outside and inside. Thibodeau has the task of finding ways to utilize Towns in the best possible role and making the pick-and-roll partnership between the big man and Jalen Brunson hum.

Adjusting to new personnel

Towns’ ability to space the floor as a three-point shooter is great for the offense but could have an impact on the team’s ability to dominate on the offensive glass. The Knicks have been one of the top offensive rebounding teams in the NBA over the last four years. The team finished first in second-chance points per 100 possessions in both the regular season and playoffs, per NBA Stats. Teams usually don’t dominate the offensive glass when their seven-foot center is spotting up from deep.

Offensive caroms and a low turnover-rate have helped the club reach a top-10 ranking in offensive efficiency despite being a sub-par shooting efficiency team. New York finished 20th in true shooting percentage last year.

Before shifting to a power forward role in Minnesota with Rudy Gobert, Towns has been an adequate offensive rebounder in his time as a center. But he’s not near the level of a Mitchell Robinson or Isaiah Hartenstein. New York’s perimeter shooting and spacing on the floor should be better after adding Towns, but where the team ranks on the offensive glass will be a stat to monitor all season.

On defense, Towns is not a sieve but he is also not the fearsome physical presence that Thibodeau-era Knicks teams have held on the roster like Robinson, Hartenstein and Nerlens Noel. Not having a traditional rim protector on the floor could force Thibodeau to get creative.

New York has employed one of the more traditional defensive strategies in the NBA, but maybe they switch more actions on defense. With Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart, the Knicks have a deep collection of wings able to guard multiple positions.

Overall, the Knicks have gone nearly all-in on this team. Left over from the previous haul of assets is a heavily protected Washington Wizards first-round draft pick and several second-round picks. New York also has significantly increased its payroll. With a high-priced team, comes even more expectations.

Thibodeau has not faced that level of pressure with this club. His rotation decisions and in-game adjustments will be under a microscope. The conversations about him running players into the ground will only intensify, especially if injuries pop up.

Pressure can transform rocks into diamonds. For the Knicks, the hope is that they don’t succumb to the pressure and those diamonds end up on a championship ring.