The New York Knicks needed a center – and they just traded for one of the best offensive centers in the game.
The Knicks have reportedly agreed to a trade for Karl-Anthony Towns, sending Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves, deal broken by Shams Charania and John Krawczynski of The Football Club. This is ultimately a three-team trade involving Charlotte to make the money work, and Minnesota will also receive a top-13 protected 2025 first-round pick (via the Pistons).
The Towns camp is reportedly blindsided and stunned by the news after nine seasons in Minnesota.
Regardless, this is a massive win for the Knicks, who were already considered contenders and now add one of the best centers in the game. While coach Tom Thibodeau will be frustrated with his defense, Cities can get buckets around the rim and stretch the floor from 3. He is an offensive force (perhaps only behind Nikola Jokic in today’s NBA). He can start this season at five and when Mitchell Robinson returns from injury around Christmas it will give New York as good a center rotation as there is in the league.
The Knicks, already title contenders, improved on paper. They are a legitimate threat for the Celtics up East (even if they have lost some guard depth).
The big question: Is Towns mentally ready for a grindingly physical Tom Thibodeau team? Kat’s reputation is softer than that, and he will be asked to play a role that is more Rudy Gobert in Minnesota. That said, Towns played for Thibs in Minnesota before and the coach has had nothing but kind words for the center in recent years.
Minnesota makes this trade for two reasons. First, Randle as the four next to Gobert as the five keeps the Timberwolves serious contenders this season (although Naz Reid at the four and Randle off the bench is more appropriate). Second, they gather some quality guard depth with DiVincenzo. Minnesota remains a threat to win it all.
However, Minnesota will be unreasonably expensive in future years – regardless of who the owner is — and this will save money if they don’t re-sign Randle. Minnesota was about to become the most expensive team in the league, and because of the second tax apron of the new CBA, staying a contender would be a problem. It could make Randle a free agent this summer, or he could sign up for $30.9 million and test the 2026 market.
NBA training camps open next week, but blockbusters are already stealing the headlines – the NBA is back.
