The New York Knicks made a deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves in which they acquired Karl-Anthony Towns.
The Knicks sent Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a 2025 top-13 protected first-round pick from the Detroit Pistons to the Timberwolves. The acquisition of Towns gives the Knicks size while the Timberwolves are adding depth and shooting to their roster.
The trade shocked Towns as he had never requested a trade away from the team. However, the move was likely based on financial reasons as the team is paying hefty sums for both guard Anthony Edwards and center Rudy Gobert. Adding Towns to the mix hinders the team’s ability to add to their roster during the season.
The trade fixes a huge hole in the Knicks roster. Towns’ presence gives them both more size and shooting, something the team lacked during last year’s postseason. WIth center Mitchell Robinson expected to miss the start of the season with an ankle injury, the need for a center was glaring. His ability to space the floor paired with point guard Jalen Brunson’s playmaking abilities makes Towns a seamless fit into the Knicks offense. This move should give the Knicks a good chance at contending for the Eastern Conference this season.
For the Timberwolves, this trade deepens the roster. Adding DiVincenzo gives the team a solid, rotational piece that can make up for guard Kyle Anderson’s production last season. Julius Randle raises question marks relating to his production in the playoffs as well as his fit next to Gobert. While the Timberwolves have proven that they are one of the better teams in the Western Conference, swapping Towns for Randle appears to be a downgrade unless Randle can improve his shooting numbers. Last season, Randle shot 31 percent from three last season in contrast to Towns, who shot 41 percent from deep. This trade felt odd from the Timberwolves as they had just made the Western Conference Finals last season and looked close to winning an NBA Championship in the near future. Most teams do not trade a core piece after doing so but the salary constraints were too great for the Timberwolves to run it back.
This trade could prove to be a win for both teams as the Knicks added size while the Timberwolves added depth. Given how both teams exceeded expectations last season, it will be interesting to see how they perform with higher expectations.
https://www.si.com/nba/karl-anthony-towns-to-knicks-timberwolves-take-step-back-by-shedding-salary
