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Karl-Anthony Towns joined the Knicks on Wednesday after the Minnesota Timberwolves traded their four-time All-Star to New York Knicks n a three-team deal that also involved the Charlotte Hornets.
The agreement was finalized on Friday but took a few days to complete due to the NBA’s new trade rules, meaning Towns missed the first two days of training camp in Charleston, South Carolina.
Knicks receive:
Karl-Anthony Towns (via Timberwolves)
Draft rights to James Nnaji (via Hornets)
Timberwolves receive:
- Julius Randle (via Knicks)
- Donte DiVincenzo (via Knicks)
- Keita Bates-DiOp (via Knicks)
- Future first-round pick (from Knicks via Pistons)
Hornets receive:
- Charlie Brown (via Knicks)
- DaQuan Jeffries (via Knicks)
- Duane Washington Jr. (via Knicks)
- 2 future second-round picks (via Knicks)
- 2025 second-round pick (via Timberwolves)
- Cash considerations
After practice in Minnesota, Timberwolves coach Chris Finch expressed fond memories of his time with Towns and praised his welcoming nature when Finch was hired midway through the 2020-21 season to replace Ryan Saunders, with whom Towns had a strong bond.
“Performance-wise, one of the most skilled players I’ve ever coached, no doubt about it. Incredibly talented player who did a lot of amazing things in last year’s playoffs. That doesn’t happen without his contribution on both ends of the floor, for sure. a really good guy, big for the community. So it’s always hard. It just is. You don’t think about the human side of things when you’re contemplating these types of moves, but when they happen, that’s the first thing that comes to mind," Finch said.
The Knicks are eager to integrate Towns into their center position, believing his outside shooting could be crucial for their title contention this season. “He possesses a blend of playmaking, shooting, rebounding and defending that in combination with his size allows him to compete at a level that is rare in this league,” Knicks President Leon Rose stated.
In exchange for Towns, the Timberwolves received three-time All-Star Julius Randle and guard Donte DiVincenzo from the Knicks, along with Keita Bates-Diop and a first-round pick. The Knicks sent Charlie Brown, DaQuan Jeffries, and Duane Washington Jr. to the Hornets, in addition to two second-round picks, and secured the draft rights to center James Nnaji.
Towns, who entered the league as the No. 1 pick in the 2015 Draft, departs a Timberwolves team that is on the rise after reaching the Western Conference finals last season, despite Towns missing 20 games due to injury.
The 7-footer, who has averaged 22.9 points and 10.8 rebounds while shooting 39.8% from three-point range, is set to form a new partnership with Jalen Brunson, replacing his previous All-Star pairing with Anthony Edwards.
“Nine years ago, I arrived in Minnesota as a young man with a dream. Little did I know that this place would become my home, and its people would become my family. Your love, support, and unwavering loyalty have fueled my journey and inspired me to be the best player I could be. Thank you to my teammates, coaches, and the entire Timberwolves organization for the countless opportunities and experiences. I’ll cherish the friendships I’ve made and the battles we’ve fought together. ” Towns wrote on X, addressing the Timberwolves community.
Towns reunion
Towns reunite with Tom Thibodeau, one of his former coaches in Minnesota, after the Knicks gave up key players to acquire him. Randle, who was the NBA’s Most Improved Player in 2021 and led the Knicks to their first playoff appearance since 2013, played a significant role in shaping the team's culture.
DiVincenzo, who averaged a career-high 15.5 points last season and set a franchise record with 283 three-pointers, was a key addition for the Timberwolves as they sought depth on the wing. Finch mentioned that the decision to move Towns was not financially motivated, despite the team nearing the second apron of the luxury tax.
“Our ownership was and is committed to paying large amounts of tax for this team to be highly competitive. That hasn’t changed,. This deal in totality checks a lot of boxes. We think it’s a great basketball trade. We think it makes us deeper in a lot of ways and in ways that we needed. It does give us flexibility and mechanisms to keep remaking the team going forward. That, more than anything, that whole package there was the reasons for the deal. But it doesn’t change either our expectations coming into the season. We still have a very, very talented roster, the same core as last year and we’ve got two great weapons to add to that," added Finch.
