Karl Anthony Towns Still Smarting Over Knicks Trade Talk

Merlin sees that Karl-Anthony Towns has quietly been nursing "hard feelings" after last offseason’s trade talks that linked him to Giannis, a situation The Athletic says still lingers. Towns publicly downplays the chatter — "I feel like I've been in trade rumors a lot" — and stresses focus on winning as the Knicks ride a four-game streak, even as his scoring has dipped to 16.0 points in January. Merlin notes the tension is real but subtle. A player can pledge loyalty and still be unsettled, and the Knicks must balance chemistry with roster flexibility before the Feb. 5 deadline. If New York keeps winning, patience grows. If the offense stalls, the whispers will grow louder.