Paul George thinks the Knicks 'made a splash in an epic way' with Karl-Anthony Towns trade

Keith Pompey, The Philadelphia Inquirer on Oct 4, 2024

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NASSAU, Bahamas — The rivalry between the 76ers and New York Knicks is one of the most storied in NBA history. And it may have gone up a notch after the Knicks acquired four-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday in a three-team blockbuster trade, which included the Charlotte Hornets.

After re-signing OG Anunoby and acquiring Mikal Bridges to play alongside All-Star point guard Jalen Brunson, the Knicks remained one of the Eastern Conference’s biggest threats. But adding Towns to that trio put the franchise in championship-or-bust mode.

Paul George, the Sixers’ top free-agent acquisition, initially joked on Friday that the Knicks made a “terrible” trade by sending Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves.

“Terrible! Terrible trade!” George said. “Karl is awful! He’s old. That was a bad trade to give up Julius for Kat! I’m kidding. Obviously, Kat is one of my closest friends. Kat is a good touch. I think it’s a win for a win to give up Julius for Kat.

Both of those guys are very, very skilled and very good.”

The addition of Towns gives the Knicks a bona fide center to compete with the Sixers and defending NBA champion Boston Celtics for Eastern Conference supremacy.

Towns shot 41.6% from behind the three-point line last season and is a career 39.8% shooter from deep.

“I think for that group for what they do [his presence will] kind of give more space in that offense to thrive,” George said. “Obviously, Kat is one of the best three-point shooting bigs in the league, probably history of the league. I get the dynamic that they want it for.

“But it’s going to be interesting. Obviously, the Knicks are on the rise as well as ourselves and a couple of other teams in our league. So they definitely made a splash in an epic way.”

The Sixers were eliminated by the Knicks in six games during the first round of last season’s playoffs.

Nurse’s expectations for Ricky Council IV

Sixers coach Nick Nurse said second-year swingman Ricky Council IV has been “really good” through four days of training camp here at Paradise Island.

“Again, you see a big jump up in the maturity level,” Nurse said Friday. “I think just the comfortability. He knows he belongs, all that kind of stuff. Listen, I talked to him yesterday. I needed him on the offensive glass. I need him running the floor really hard. I need him guarding really hard.

“And if somebody swings it around to him on a three-ball situation for him to take it and knock it down. Pretty much those four things.”

Nurse added that Council is really improving and has a chance to crack the rotation.

Council averaged 5.4 points in 9.0 minutes and shot 37.5% (12 of 32) on 3-pointers in 32 games last season. He had career highs of 19 points and 10 rebounds in a 119-113 victory over the Washington Wizards on Feb. 10 at Capital One Arena.

The 23-year-old started last season on a two-way contract. It was converted to a standard deal on April 13.