Kendrick Perkins reveals why Karl-Anthony Towns is Knicks’ most important player

Many people doubted if Karl-Anthony Towns had what it took to shine in The Big Apple. They said he was too soft and would fade into the background when it mattered most. The Minnesota Timberwolves returned to the Western Conference Finals without him, and the New York Knicks could not advance past the Eastern Conference Finals with him. There was then speculation that he was not a “Mike Brown guy,” which opened the door for trade chatter.

With the Detroit Pistons building their lead in the standings and pressure rising in New York, a Towns exit seemed like a possibility. Fast forward to now, and the 30-year-old center is considered one of the most valuable members of the Knicks’ first championship-winning team in 53 years. Kendrick Perkins is going even farther than that, as he bestows a special label on the man they call KAT.

“Karl-Anthony Towns, in my opinion, is still the most important player on the Knicks,” the 2008 NBA champion and ESPN analyst opined on Friday’s edition of “NBA Today.” “That don’t mean that he’s the best player. He’s the most important player. We saw what he did in the NBA Finals, being able to neutralize Victor Wembanyama, when we thought that there was no big that was gonna be able to match that intensity.”

"I'm pocket-watching and seeing what other guys around the league got."@KendrickPerkins shares his insight on what a potential extension could look like for Karl-Anthony Towns pic.twitter.com/TRvVDajIgN

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 31, 2026

Towns did not finish the Finals with monster numbers — averaged 13.0 points, 10.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists in the five games versus the San Antonio Spurs — but he was instrumental in helping New York take a 2-0 series lead on the road. The three-time All-NBA Third-Team selection, with help from Mitchell Robinson and the other trusted Knickerbocker defenders, overpowered Wembanyama for extended stretches of time.

“The Alien” eventually broke out of his funk, but Towns and company had already delivered a couple of massive blows. Now, the Knicks big man is due for a contract extension.

While he is currently eligible to sign a four-year, $273 million deal, Towns could choose to take a little less in order to keep the team’s salary cap situation as flexible as possible. Perkins believes the six-time All-Star is entitled to a contract that at least exceeds the $212 million and $180 million contracts that Trae Young and Austin Reaves recently signed, respectively.

Now that Robinson is on the Boston Celtics, a happy and effective Towns becomes even more vital. The city is still buzzing, but eventually, the focus will shift into business mode.

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