Blockbuster Karl-Anthony Towns trade still doesn't put Knicks over Celtics in East

With the Boston Celtics not only winning the NBA Finals, but doing so with a core that is ready to compete for more titles in the next few years, teams around the Eastern Conference are emptying their pockets in search of a player who could possibly knock the champs off their perch.

Despite the New York Knicks committing to Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby, have decided to empty their treasure trove of assets in an attempt to go for broke this offseason. Acquiring Mikal Bridges from the Nets was one thing, but things got even crazier on Friday night.

The Knicks acquired All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves for a package centered around standout power forward Julius Randle, sharpshooting guard Donte DiVincenzo, and a first-round pick from the Pistons. DaQuan Jeffries and further draft compensation will be sent to the Hornets to make the money match up.

While the Knicks are gathering a star-laden roster that could easily make them a viable contender in the Eastern Conference, the acquisition of Towns will not be enough to put them over Boston in the East. The Knicks swapped out one defensively poor big man who can shoot for another, and lost DiVincenzo to boot.

Celtics still top team in Eastern Conference after Knicks acquire Karl-Anthony Towns

With no DiVincenzo and the more ball-dominant Towns in the fold, the Knicks will need to figure out how to divide shots between Towns, Brunson, Bridges, and Anunoby. While Tom Thibodeau famously leans on his starters, the bench has quickly gone from thin to alarmingly barren.

To make matters worse for the Knicks, the injury to Mitchell Robinson and the loss of Isaiah Hartenstein leaves their paint defense significantly worse with Towns in the fold. A healthy Kristaps Porzingis is not in his offensive prime, but this Knicks frontcourt should be as intimidating as, say, Philadelphia or Milwaukee.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are both better than any individual player the Knicks have on their roster at the moment. Both of them also have multiple Finals trips under their belts, while Towns has been a somewhat noteworthy underperformer in the postseason with Minnesota.

The Knicks will be a tough out, and they have the top-end talent to run with just about everyone. However, Boston is still the class of the NBA, and not even a trade for a talent like Towns from a hungry front office will be enough to knock them off that perch.