Karl-Anthony Towns admits that he is playing a different role for the Knicks this season

Karl-Anthony Towns has been the butt of the joke for a lot of people this season. He was arguably as good as Jalen Brunson in the 2024-25 season, but he has firmly cemented himself as a secondary player this season.

Towns himself knows that he is playing a lesser role this season. However, he is maximizing his impact within the role that New York Knicks head coach Mike Brown has given him.

Towns knows he is playing a new role for the Knicks this season

As one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks are always playing under pressure. They are ready to be one of the best teams in the league, but they can be quite inconsistent.

There is a clear hierarchy with the roster because Brunson is the clear-cut superstar. In the previous campaign, Towns could have been on the same level, but he has taken a significant dip this season as he is now a secondary star.

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Due to people knowing that he is one of the most talented players on the roster, Towns is always at the forefront of players who get criticized. He is okay with this because he knows the expectations are high.

However, he also knows that he has been playing a different role this time around. It is a stark contrast from what he was playing last season.

"I've been asked to take a different role this year, and I'm glad I'm impacting winning, maximizing, and being the star of my role. Just doing whatever our team needs to be the best version of ourselves," Towns said on Tuesday after the Knicks' win against the Pacers.

Towns might be struggling, but he can still make a big impact. He is still averaging 20 points and 11.8 rebounds per game.

That is such an impressive line for any player, but Towns is playing under high expectations. As long as he can keep playing well within his role, that should not be a problem in the long-term future.

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• Karl-Anthony Towns knows that the Knicks are in a good spot for the rest of the season
• Shai Gilgeous-Alexander admits that the Knicks are one of the toughest matchups in the league
• Jalen Brunson's clutch ability commended by Jakob Poeltl