The Knicks shocked the NBA world just before the preseason got underway when they traded for Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns. In order to get the sharpshooting big man on their roster, the Knicks had to give away Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, which some thought was a steep price to pay for Towns.

Making a move of this magnitude is a very bold decision just before the season starts. Now, the Knicks will have to spend the first part of the year building chemistry and gelling together with their new star. That process got off to an ugly start on Tuesday night when the Boston Celtics blew the Knicks out 132-109 in the season opener.

Knicks legend Walt “Clyde” Frazier was one of the many people who were taken aback by the move, and he confessed his true feelings about the deal on a recent episode of Run it Back.

“I like Randle,” Frazier said. “I thought he would come back with a vengeance; he had a lot to prove. Like KAT said, I was flabbergasted by the trade. But since he's there, I mean, we improved a guy that can open up the court. That should help Brunson.”

Frazier, currently a broadcaster for the team alongside Mike Breen, also added that he didn't like the decision to trade DiVincenzo away as it hurts the Knicks' bench.

What Karl-Anthony Towns adds to the Knicks

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In the short term, the addition of Towns helps the Knicks maintain their frontcourt flexibility while they wait for Mitchell Robinson to recover from foot surgery. With Robinson and Precious Achiuwa both sidelined to start the season, Towns and Jericho Sims are really the only options for Tom Thibodeau in the middle.

Towns spent a lot of his time in recent years playing the four alongside Rudy Gobert, but playing him at center will make the Knicks very hard to guard. He is able to space the floor with the best of them, and his ability to shoot the ball from that position should open up the floor for the rest of the Knicks, especially Jalen Brunson.

Defensively, playing Towns at center isn't ideal, which is why Minnesota made it work next to Gobert for the past few seasons. However, the Knicks have one of the best groups of wing defenders in the league with OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart, so they can mitigate Towns' weakness on defense a little bit.

When Robinson is able to return, Thibodeau will have a ton of lineup flexibility and different options to work with. He can follow the Timberwolves' model and play Towns next to Robinson and move Josh Hart to the bench, or he can bring Robinson off the bench to boost the defense when the situation calls for it.

The move to get Towns was controversial, but it raises the Knicks' ceiling in the long run. That alone makes the risk worth it at this stage.