Even as the New York Knicks build momentum for the playoffs, Shaquille O’Neal isn’t impressed with everyone on the roster, and a recent conversation with one of their stars only deepened his disappointment.

The Knicks are on a five-game winning streak and are hot on the heels of second-placed Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference. While Jalen Brunson continues to be the main man for the Knicks, Shaquille O’Neal has urged others to step up and match his level. He rates them highly as contenders from the East, but his recent interaction with one Knicks star has left a sour taste in his mouth.

In the recent episode of ‘The Big’ podcast, Shaq was joined by Jim Jones as they discussed various topics, including the Knicks. Both of them highlighted how the Knicks are just about there. “I think the key is Karl-Anthony Towns….He’s a guy that has the potential to be that,” Shaq stated. He later revealed his recent interaction with the Knicks’ big man, which left him quite disappointed. “So every now and then he shows up with 27, 28 points. That’s how I think you should always play. Yeah, but he doesn’t play that. I tried to challenge him the other day. And I was disappointed in his answer. I was like, because I’m giving him a game. Like, yo, this is what you need to do. He’s like, no, no, my other thing. I was like, no, no, no. Brunson and you, one, two points.”

Jim Jones also agreed with Shaq’s thoughts, as he believes that if KAT develops consistency around his game, then he could be the second in line behind Brunson, and the Knicks would be a much tougher team to stop on offense.

This interaction between Shaq and KAT happened last month following the Knicks’ comeback win over the Houston Rockets. Before the game, Shaq had criticized the Knicks center for playing too soft, and when KAT came on for an interview with the ‘Inside the NBA’ crew after the game, Shaq called him soft to his face while sharing some advice. However, KAT made sure that he also got his point across, which the Lakers legend probably didn’t like.

“At the beginning of the game, I said you were playing soft because I’ve seen you at times when you play great. And what you must understand in New York is that you need to be great for your guys to win a championship,” Shaq told KAT in the aforementioned interaction. “If you guys win a championship, of course, they’re gonna talk about Brunson, but it’s you and your play; you have to be dominant.”

“For sure, but what you said too is, if we win a championship, they can talk about anybody as long as we get a ring, that’s the most important thing,” Towns replied in disagreement. “I don’t care. I don’t care about any of that.”

Overall, KAT has not been at his best this season, averaging 20.1 points per game, the lowest he has averaged in the NBA since his rookie season. Shaq wants him to be more dominant in the paint, and to some extent, he is right. There aren’t many scoring big men in the league right now, and KAT, if he plays to his potential, could be right at the top of this category. This would also maximize Brunson’s skills and increase the Knicks’ chances of landing the Championship.

Karl-Anthony Towns could be the most lethal weapon for the New York Knicks

There are some great centers in the league right now, and then comes Karl-Anthony Towns. No other big man in the league stretches the defense as KAT does with his shooting. His shooting is not just a bonus, but it is developing into the most lethal weapon for the New York Knicks.

With Jalen Brunson often getting double-teamed by the opposition, KAT is stepping up for the Knicks with some crucial performances. As per Statmuse, the 30-year-old center has drained 1,220 three-pointers, the most by a center in the history of the NBA.

After a slow start to the season, KAT has been piling up the numbers since February. In March, he is averaging 21.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 57% from the field and 33.3% from beyond the arc. His three-point percentage has gone down from 42% in February to 33.3% in March, but his overall production has increased.

Defensively, as well, he hardly gets any mention, but he is easily one of the best at cleaning up in the league. He has recorded double-digit rebounds in nine out of 10 games in March, highlighting his dominance in the paint. He is not given much credit for his defensive ability, but the fact is, he is not as flashy as some of the other players in the league.

The Knicks would hope that KAT’s upward trend in performances continues for the entirety of the season as they head into the playoffs. He could be the fulcrum in this roster, which allows the likes of Brunson and Mikal Bridges to play with more freedom. Regardless, KAT’s ability to hit three-pointers forces defenses to account for him on the perimeter, which naturally opens up scoring avenues for his teammates.