Former NBA star defends Karl-Anthony Towns after Knicks loss as criticism mounts
Sweet Lou wants no more KAT attacks.
Social media has been ablaze with controversy as Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns has received loads of criticism for his uneven performance during the Eastern Conference finals against the Pacers.
Towns, whom the Knicks acquired shortly before training camp, has been the center of potential trade rumors as fans clamor for a big move to put the team over the top.
But former three-time Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams wants fans to ease up.
'They gotta get off KAT back,' Williams said on 'Run it Back' recently.
'We also gotta stop allowing X and Instagram to be our GMs. Ain't a lot of KATs laying around where you can just get rid of him and feel like you're going to have a better opportunity to win basketball games.
'If you got an opportunity to go get a Giannis (Antetokounmpo) or somebody, sure, you take a look at everything. But other than that, that was his first season as a New York Knick and they got to the Eastern Conference finals. There's a lot of room for adjustments to be made … If it wasn't for KAT, y'all would've been sent home 72 hours earlier anyways.'
3 Karl-Anthony Towns walks off the court after being eliminated.
Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Towns averaged 21.4 points per game and 11.6 rebounds in the playoffs, a steady increase from the year prior when he was a member of the Timberwolves and tallied 19.1 points and nine rebounds per game.
However, this series highlighted his defensive deficiencies and some have questioned whether he and Jalen Brunson he is the co-star to work alongside Jalen Brunson.
Some are calling for Towns, a 29-year-old who just made third team All-NBA, to be traded for pennies on the dollar.
3 Lou Williams says there's too much chaos surrounding the Knicks.
X, @RunItBackFDTV
The same can be said for coach Tom Thibodeau, who may be looking for a new job despite bringing the team to their first conference finals appearance since 2000.
There had been some speculation that Towns could be included in a trade for Antetokounmpo, although it is unclear if the Bucks' star will be traded this offseason.
Williams seems to believe in this group of Knicks.
'So give these guys credit and give them an opportunity to get better and grow,' Williams said. 'When you get to the Eastern Conference finals, and you feel really confident about the group you've put together and the coaching staff you have, you don't rattle the fence because it didn't go your way. You rebuild, you make adjustments and you give yourself another shot next season.'
3 Karl-Anthony Towns could be on the trade block this offseason.
NBAE via Getty Images
The Post's Stefan Bondy points out that if the Knicks wanted to control this situation, they could have by having media availability like every other team in the league when their seasons ends.
However, the lack of comments from a front office executive opens the door for chatter about Towns' future in New York.
'This would be a good time for Leon Rose to reemerge and publicly accentuate the positives of the season while backing Towns, his former client when Rose was a power agent,' Bondy wrote. 'It'd be an opportunity to take back a narrative that's gone too far negative after a spirited run. Unfortunately, the Garden policy is no media availability when it's not mandated by the NBA.'
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