Cade Cunningham vs Karl-Anthony Towns

Cade Cunningham scored more in 2025-26, 3.8 points a game apart (23.9 vs 20.1), on Cunningham's heavier usage (29.6% vs 25.1%).

Towns is the more efficient scorer by true shooting, 61.9% to 56.4%; TS% folds threes and free throws into one number, so the gap survives shot-diet differences.

Playmaking goes to Cunningham (9.9 vs 3.0 assists), the glass to Towns (11.9 vs 5.5 rebounds).

Availability is part of the comparison: Towns played 11 more games (75 vs 64 of 82).

With Cunningham on the floor his team outscored opponents by +11.4 per 100 possessions, against +7.0 for Towns; on-court net rating carries the teammates with it, so read it next to PIE.

On the books for 2026-27: Cunningham $50.1M through 2029-30, Towns $57.1M through 2027-28. Whether either fits a trade is a Trade Machine question, not a stat one.