The first post-Woj bomb hit last night with the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves agreeing on a blockbuster trade that sends All-Star big man Karl-Anthony Towns to New York in exchange for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a heavily protected first-round pick (via Detroit).
The Athletic’s Shams Charania broke the news late Friday night.
Knicks have acquired Karl-Anthony Towns from Minnesota for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round pick via Detroit, sources tell me and @JonKrawczynski. pic.twitter.com/FafQlY48Y1
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 28, 2024
What the trade means for the Knicks
New York desperately needed a big to start the year with Mitchell Robinson recovering from offseason ankle surgery. The Knicks were thin on depth at the center position with training camp looming in just over a week and capitalized on the opportunity to get better.
Trading for Towns raises questions from a defensive and toughness standpoint. On paper, the Knicks look like a serious threat to dethrone the Celtics in the Eastern Conference. However, Towns’ kryptonite has always been his ability to defend, and he often plays soft. It will be interesting to see if the Knicks, whose DNA is grit and toughness, will rub off on Towns to reach his full potential.
Offensively, the move seems necessary for the Knicks, since Towns is a career 40 percent three-point shooter and is a more gifted big versus Randle. It’s clear the Knicks weren’t interested in extending Randle and did not trust his ability to play center heading into the year, so trading for Towns from an offensive standpoint makes sense. Towns gives the Knicks another offensive threat who can consistently space the floor and score in a multitude of ways.
What the trade means for the Timberwolves
This trade comes as a huge shock from the perspective of Minnesota after advancing to the Conference Finals last season for the first time since 2004.
Heading into this season, both Anthony Edwards and Towns looked ready to take control of the Western Conference for the Timberwolves. With this trade, Minnesota gives away their fourth-longest-tenured player in franchise history. Towns helped define the team’s identity with his contributions for a squad that has been in NBA purgatory for nearly a decade, and now they will hand the keys to Edwards.
Trading for Randle and DiVincenzo shows the Timberwolves were wary of the future financial penalties that await them in 2025. With Towns gone, Minnesota can be much more flexible financially with Rudy Gobert having a player option for 2025-26 and having the ability to re-sign or extend Naz Reid who is a UFA after 2025-26. Towns staying on Minnesota’s roster would’ve made future extensions and signings very difficult since he’s owed $49 million this year and $53 million for 2025-26.
Offensively, Randle is not the player that Towns is. He’s a lesser rebounder and not as consistent of an outside threat, where he is a career 33 percent shooter. However, Randle is a tougher player than Towns and a very talented big who complements Edwards’ game in a positive way. DiVincenzo gives the Timberwolves a high-energy playmaker who fits the mold of their identity.
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