Despite a valuable two nights off, the New York Knicks played as if it were three nights off, getting schooled by the lottery-bound Sacramento Kings 112-101, a score that’s more flattering to the Knicks than it suggests. This means the Knicks are a meager 7-8 since their NBA cup win. Their one major litmus test post-cup was against the first-place Detroit Pistons last week, and they lost that game by 31 points.
It’s staggeringly clear there is a chemistry issue with this group, and it’s getting worse rather than better. Brown made clear their effort was not acceptable in an honest post-game, which raises questions about one player’s future, in particular, whom he called out for an egregious lack of hustle.
Mike Brown Calls Out Towns’ Lack of Hustle, Raising Questions About His Buy-In and Future
If one play can be a microcosm of where the Knicks are in January, specifically Karl-Anthony Towns, it can be summed up by a moment against the Kings on Wednesday night. Towns fell to the deck untouched in the paint, as he has a penchant for doing, then just sat there as several actions unfolded up and down the court.
It was quite jarring to see an All-Star-level player amble slowly around the Kings’ painted area while all the action was on the Knicks’ end, and Towns showed no willingness to help his teammates and grab a rebound as the play resulted in an eventual three-pointer, which Towns watched from the other end of the floor.
Speaking to the Athletic’s James L. Edwards after the game, Brown called out Towns’ lack of hustle. “When you fall down, you gotta get up and sprint down the floor…that wasn’t the only play; there were a handful we did that on, but there was no sense of urgency…we watched at halftime, and he didn’t even cross halfcourt. That sums up our night.”
Mike Brown to @JLEdwardsIII on KAT play: “When you fall down you gotta get up…That wasn’t the only play, there were a handful we did that, but there was no sense of urgency…it was a 5-point swing…we watched at halftime & he didn’t even cross halfcourt. That sums up our night” pic.twitter.com/eEs1N5vae4
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) January 15, 2026
Josh Hart, one of the locker room leaders, called out the team’s effort without naming names: “Our effort…the intensity…we were dead…it was embarrassing.”
Towns Appearing To Not Buy Into Brown’s System
Nevertheless, one player continues to stand out for a lack of energy. It is quite apparent that Towns hasn’t entirely bought into Brown’s uptempo, ball-sharing system. He looks uncomfortable with what he’s being asked to do. This is his worst statistical season since his rookie year. Averaging his worst shooting numbers and offensive production since he first entered the league in 2015-16.
After they lost by 31 to the Pistons last week, Towns spoke of his difficulties adjusting to Brown’s system to Knicks insider Stefan Bondy: “Different system. It’s just different… the biggest adjustment is for me. Like Mike said, I make the biggest sacrifice.”
While it’s not all Towns’ fault by any stretch, as their highest-paid player, he was brought in to be ‘Robin’ to Jalen Brunson’s ‘Batman,’ but he’s playing more like a stranger to Brunson than his sidekick this season. They’ve established little chemistry together, and when asked to step up when Brunson was unable to return from injury early in Wednesday’s game, Towns replied with 0 points in the second half.
Consequently, New York is 26th in transition defense and has the 29th-ranked defense since the NBA Cup win. Their very poor ranking in transition defense is not surprising. Towns, as mentioned above, is unsteady when driving in the paint; he often falls down or looks awkward when finishing at the rim. This means he’s often entirely out of position as he goes back up the other end to defend fast breaks.
He is far more comfortable shooting above-the-break threes as a finesse big and the offense’s focal point. He looks entirely unsuited to a bully-ball style that is asked to be created for others. Incidentally, Julius Randle was better suited for that role.
It’s back to the drawing board for Towns and Brown. It feels like his being called out publicly is a line being drawn in the sand. Either Towns steps up, or his future may be elsewhere.
It won’t be easy to trade his $53.1 million salary this year, rising to $57 million next season, but for a team that has ambitions to win a championship this year, there is greater urgency to get their star big man to buy in or be moved. Especially since they only recently hired Brown.
