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Karl-Anthony Towns, a four-time All-Star is all set to play his 10th NBA season. According to Detroits that emerged late Friday the New York Knicks had made a major move before the annual preseason tipoff. Per Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, New York is adding All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns to their team through a 3 team deal Following the trade All-Star forward Julius Randle is traded to the Timberwolves, along with guard Donte DiVincenzo and a protected first-round pick. The Hornets have stepped in as a pivotal third team in recent trade, taking on DaQuan Jeffries and draft compensation to navigate the cap implications involving a pair of "apron" teams.
Karl has never expressed dissatisfaction with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the team that selected him first overall in 2015. Despite a series of challenging seasons, he remained committed, especially after their deep run to the Western Conference Finals last spring.
Active in the Twin Cities community and willing to take a backseat to young star Anthony Edwards, Towns adapted well to a new stretch power forward role after the Wolves acquired center Rudy Gobert two years ago. With training camp just days away, the recent trade caught him by surprise, though it offers a chance to return to his New Jersey roots.
In a recent interview with the Associated Press regarding a youth center he’s helping establish in the Dominican Republic—his late mother Jackie’s homeland—Towns expressed genuine enthusiasm about the upcoming season and Minnesota’s prospects following last season's playoff success, which ended in a five-game series loss to Dallas.
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“We showed our merit last season. We showed our growth, and I think more importantly we showed maturity. We found a way to show we belonged. I’m just so proud of what we were able to do last year. We’re not going to be surprising anyone. I think we’ve shown that we’re a team that you definitely have to take into consideration. When you see us on the calendar, you’ve got to bring your best," said Towns
The Timberwolves will need to be at their best on December 19 when they host the Knicks, following an exhibition game at New York on October 13 and a regular-season matchup at Madison Square Garden on January 17.
On Friday night, Towns shared a cryptic ellipsis on the social platform X, offering no additional commentary.
The Trade
Having grown up in Minnesota and entering the league at 19, Towns has navigated through five head coaches and seven basketball operations leaders during his nine seasons with the Wolves. He was drafted by Flip Saunders, who passed away just four months later. Towns also faced challenges, including a turbulent relationship with former teammate Jimmy Butler, who orchestrated a trade request after one season, and recent injury setbacks that limited him to just 29 games in the 2022-23 season. The personal impact of losing his mother to COVID-19 complications in 2020 has also been significant. Now, Towns looks forward to reuniting with coach Tom Thibodeau, who previously spent 2.5 seasons with the Timberwolves during Towns' second year in the league.
In this deal, the Wolves acquire three-time All-Star power forward Julius Randle, sharpshooter Donte DiVincenzo—coming off a career-best season—and a first-round pick to help mitigate the draft capital sent to Utah in the Gobert trade.
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