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The final weekend of the offseason brings us another league-shaking trade featuring two teams eyeing the NBA Finals.
Karl-Anthony Towns will join the New York Knicks while Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo will move to the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources told ESPN. The Timberwolves will also receive a top-13 protected 2025 first-round pick from the Knicks, with the Charlotte Hornets receiving draft compensation to facilitate the deal.
Towns has spent nine seasons in Minnesota since being selected as the No. 1 overall pick in 2015. The four-time All-Star big man is averaging 22.9 points and will reunite with head coach Tom Thibodeau, who he played for from 2016-19.
Randle, a three-time All-Star forward, has been sidelined since January with a right shoulder injury that required surgery later in April. DiVincenzo, a six-year veteran sharpshooter, finished last season with career highs in games played (81) and 3-point percentage (40%).
Here’s what NBA insiders from around the league are hearing about the blockbuster move.
What do league insiders say about Towns’ fit in New York?
Ramona Shelburne: The Knicks’ biggest need was at center, after the departure of Isaiah Hartenstein and the injury of Mitchell Robinson, and they just filled it with a top-five position in the league. He should help Town balance scoring and floor space with his career 39% three-point shooting.
Chris Herring: This obviously answers the Knicks’ question of who to keep at quarterback, which has been vulnerable after losing Hartenstein in free agency and Robinson’s ankle surgery that is expected to keep him out for the next couple of months. Towns gives New York an incredible amount of spacing — and scoring as the No. 2 player — on offense, and he also has experience playing in Thibodeau’s defensive system. But at first glance, he lacks the physical style that players like Randle and DiVincenzo brought to the team.
Bobby Marks: Seamless is one of the words the team described to me about Towns’ fit. The Knicks were desperate for a position. Not only does Towns fill that void, he also gives New York a true stretch 5. Towns is one of four players to average 20 points, 50% shooting, and 40% on 3-pointers last season. Also keep in mind that Towns already has a comfortable level of play with Thibodeau, having spent three years with the Knicks’ coach in Minnesota.
What do league insiders say about Randle’s fit in Minnesota? Is this his final destination?
Shelburne: This trade is possible because Naz Reed has developed so well. He may still be playing off the bench, and there are questions about spacing with Randle and Rudy Gobert, but Wolves coach Chris Finch is a fan of Randle, having coached him to a breakout season in New Orleans in 2018-19.
Herring: The Wolves are taking a big picture approach. Randle expects to stay in Minnesota, where he can opt out of his deal after this season. This reality gives Minnesota much more financial flexibility than it had under Towns’ massive, $220 million-plus contract. It’s also worth noting that this deal isn’t just about Towns and Randle. DiVincenzo was fantastic last season, ranking third in the league in 3-pointers made, behind only Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic. He is one of the best value contracts in the NBA and will be a key part of the Wolves’ rotation.
Marks: Whether Randle’s tenure in Minnesota is short-term or part of the future. Randle has a $30.9 million player option for next season and could become a free agent. He is eligible to sign a four-year, $181 million extension six months after the deal is completed. For now, Randle gives Minnesota an All-NBA forward to complement Gobert and better roster flexibility moving forward. Before his shoulder injury last season, Randle had 19 consecutive 20-point games, the longest streak of his career.
The biggest winner in this deal is ____?
Shelburne: The Knicks — who did nothing but go all out this summer by trading for Mikal Bridges, extending Jalen Brunson and OG Anunoby and now acquiring Towns. They now have three true stars, all on the same schedule. Yes, they have reached the second arena and exhausted their investment capital. But in today’s NBA, it’s about a team’s ability to put itself in contention for several years.
Herring: Can I use a lifeline here? The truth is, I did There is no evidence yet. I was excited to see what the Knicks looked like with Bridges in the lineup, which will now include Towns instead of Randle and DiVincenzo — a much different look and feel. I love that Minnesota has streamlined its abundant big man rotation, and that it has more scoring wings at its disposal now. She has more flexibility in the cap going forward as well. But I can’t get over how huge a swing this is for both clubs, who appeared to be on an upward trajectory without these deals. They will be among the most interesting teams in the Etihad this season.
Marks: Can I answer that question in June? The Knicks continue to move forward with their roster, first trading five first-round picks for Bridges, then taking on the $220 million salary owed to Towns. But the positive is that New York did not have to trade backup goaltender Deuce McBride as part of the deal and still has Josh Hart coming off the bench. As for Minnesota, it is still one of the top four teams in the West, but how far it progresses depends on Randle’s health. Randle underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle last April and recently underwent season-ending surgery to repair a dislocated shoulder he suffered in January. The addition of DiVincenzo brings stability and perimeter shooting to Minnesota’s small bench. Last year with New York, DiVincenzo made 283 3-pointers, the most in a single season in Knicks history. His 241 3-pointers last season were the most in the NBA, per Second Spectrum.
The biggest remaining question mark is ____?
Shelburne: Whether the Knicks have enough now to topple the Boston Celtics and overtake the other contenders in the East remains to be seen. They are clearly more talented now after their offseason ups and downs at home. But now that they’re going all out, this group has to produce because the Knicks have mostly exhausted their assets and flexibility.
Herring: There are a couple, honestly. How could Randle — who sometimes shoots ill-advised and dribbles in traffic — shake it up with Anthony Edwards on the floor? Will Towns be a natural fit alongside his Knicks teammates?
Marks: What else is New York sending in trade? Since New York has outgrown the first-rounder, Towns’ contract is not allowed to be reacquired without sending additional salary alongside Randle and DiVincenzo. As Tim Bontemps reported, the Hornets are part of this trade and will receive additional salary. The Knicks and Hornets are still working out details on who will participate. Similar to what happened when New York agreed to acquire Bridges in late June, expect more players to be involved.
How will Towns’ tenure in Minnesota be remembered?
Shelburne: Proudly, but incompletely. He’s waited a long time to play with a co-star like Edwards. It was nice to see this team get another chance after the conference finals last season. But Towns isn’t on the same schedule as the young core of the Wolves squad anymore and has spent a lot of money to stay under the new CBA. It’s worth noting that he never asked for a trade or complained about being in Minnesota — which is a big reason why he sent the team to a position he would be happy with.
Herring: As someone who was very talented and played a role in starting to turn things around for the Wolves. He never seemed to be the main star who turned the tide — that was more Jimmy Butler and then Edwards eventually — but few big men in the league were better during the former No. 1 pick’s tenure in Minnesota. Regardless of what he did on the field, he showed an extraordinary amount of vulnerability in 2020 and 2021, especially after losing his mother and seven other relatives to COVID-19.
Marks: As a future Hall of Famer who finally brought stability to a losing franchise. Since he was drafted in 2015, Towns has endured numerous coaching changes (three since the hiring of current coach Chris Finch) and endless trips to the lottery. He would finish his time in Minnesota ranked behind only Kevin Garnett in points scored for the franchise.
How will Randle’s tenure in New York be remembered?
Shelburne: Until his injury last year, Randle was an iron man. He played hard every game. Two things Knicks coach Thibodeau values greatly. He had his flaws, and sometimes he didn’t get along well with the public. But he eventually overcame a lot of that and earned respect around the franchise and the city. He was a consolation prize after the Knicks failed to land Kevin Durant in free agency in 2019. But he far exceeded those initial expectations to become an MVP candidate in 2020.
Herring: In many ways, it will be similar to the way Wolves fans saw Towns’ tenure. Randle was extremely flawed at times, especially early in his time in New York. But his work ethic and the improvements he made on the court helped the Knicks overcome what was the league’s bleakest run of the past two decades. He made two All-NBA teams and often looked the part of the No. 1 option before struggling mightily several times in the postseason. Randle had hoped to rewrite his postseason narrative last season alongside fellow star Jalen Brunson, but the forward dislocated his shoulder in late January, and after rehab was unable to return to the lineup. However, on an individual level, he has exceeded the expectations fans had when the Knicks signed him back in 2018.
Marks: incomplete. Yes, Randle was named All-NBA three times with New York, but most fans will remember his shortcomings in the playoff series in Atlanta and Miami that contributed to a long stretch of postseason disappointments for the Knicks.
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