The final weekend of the NBA offseason brings us another league-shaking deal involving two teams with NBA Finals aspirations.
Karl-Anthony Towns will join the New York Knicks with Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo going to the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources told ESPN. The Timberwolves will also acquire a 2025 top-13 protected first-round pick from the Knicks, with the Charlotte Hornets receiving draft compensation to facilitate the entire deal.
Towns has spent nine seasons in Minnesota since being drafted as the No.1 pick in 2015. The four-time All-Star big man averaged 22.9 points and will reunite with head coach Tom Thibodeau, who he played for from 2016-2019.
Randle, a three-time All-Star forward, has been sidelined since January with a right shoulder injury that later required surgery in April. DiVincenzo, a six-year veteran shooter, finished last season with career highs in games played (81) and 3-point percentage (40%).
Here’s what our NBA insiders are hearing from around the league about the hype.
What are league insiders saying about Towns’ fit in New York?
Ramona Shelburne: The Knicks’ biggest need was at center, after the departure of Isaiah Hartenstein and an injury to Mitchell Robinson, and they just filled it with a top-5 center in the league. Towns should help balance the scoring and space the floor with his career 39% 3-point shooting.
Chris Herring: That obviously addresses the Knicks’ question of who will hold the center position, which has been thin after losing Hartenstein in free agency and Robinson’s ankle surgery, which is expected to keep him for the next two months. Towns gives New York an incredible amount of spacing — and scoring punch as a No. 2 — on offense, and he has experience playing in Thibodeau’s defensive system. But at first blush, he lacks the raw, physical style that players like Randle and DiVincenzo brought to the team.
Bobby Marks: Seamless is one word a team has described to me about Towns’ fit. The Knicks are desperate to land a center. Not only does Towns fill that void but he also gives New York a true stretch five. Towns is one of four players averaging 20 points, 50% shooting and 40% on 3-pointers last season. Also consider that Towns already has a comfort level playing for Tom Thibodeadu, after spending three years with the Knicks coach in Minnesota.
What are league insiders saying about Randle’s fit in Minnesota? Is this his ultimate goal?
Shelburne: This trade is possible because Naz Reid has developed so well. He’s likely still coming off the bench, and there are questions about the gap with Randle and Gobert, but Wolves coach Chris Finch is a fan of Randle, having coached him to a breakout season in New Orleans back in 2018-19.
Herring: That the Wolves are taking a big picture approach. Randle is expected to stay in Minnesota because he can opt out of his deal after this season. That reality gives Minnesota much more financial flexibility than they had under Towns’ massive contract, which tops $220 million. It’s also worth noting that this deal isn’t just about Cities and Randle. DiVincenzo was fantastic last season, and finished third in the league in three-pointers, behind Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic. He is on one of the NBA’s best value contracts and will be a key part of the Wolves’ rotation.
Marks: Is Randle’s tenure in Minnesota short-lived or part of the future. Randle has a $30.9 million player option for next season and can become a free agent. He is eligible to sign a four-year, $181 million extension six months after the trade is completed. For now, Randle gives Minnesota an All-NBA forward to complement Rudy Gobert and better roster flexibility going forward. Before injuring his shoulder last season, Randle had 19 straight 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 Brunson, Anunoby and now getting Towns. They now have three real stars, all in the same timeline. Yes, they are right up against the second apron and have depleted their draft capital. But in today’s NBA, this is about how a team can position itself to contend for several years.
Herring: Can I use a lifeline here? The truth is, I have no clue however. I was excited to see how the Knicks looked with Mikal Bridges in the lineup, which will now include Towns as opposed to Randle and DiVincenzo – a much different look and style. I like Minnesota to streamline its extensive big man rotation, and that it has more wing scoring at its disposal now. It also has more head flexibility up front. But I can’t get over how massive a swing this is for both clubs that seemed to be on an upward trajectory without these deals. They will be among the most interesting teams in the association this season.
Marks: Can I answer this question in June? The Knicks continue to go all in with their roster, first trading five first-round picks for Mikal Bridges and then absorbing the $220 million salary owed to Karl-Anthony Towns. The positive, however, is that New York didn’t have to trade backup guard Deuce McBride as part of the deal and still has Josh Hart coming off the bench. As for Minnesota, they are still a top-4 team in the West but how far that goes depends on Randle’s health. Randle had arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle last April and most recently underwent season-ending surgery to repair the dislocated shoulder he suffered in January. The addition of DiVincenzo brings stability and perimeter shooting to a young Minnesota bench. Last year with New York, DiVincenzo made 283 3-pointers, the most in a season in Knicks history. His 241 catch-and-shoot 3-pointers last season were the most in the NBA, per Second Spectrum.
The biggest remaining question mark is ____?
Shelburne: Do the Knicks have enough now to dethrone the Boston Celtics and overtake the other contenders in the East. They are clearly more talented now after their offseason home run sweeps. But now that they’re all in, this group needs to produce because the Knicks have largely depleted their assets and flexibility.
Herring: There are a couple, honestly. How does Randle — who sometimes takes ill-advised shots and dribbles into traffic — gel with Anthony Edwards on the floor? Will Towns be a natural fit alongside his physical Knicks teammates?
Marks: What else does New York send in business? Since New York is above the first apron, they are not allowed to take back the Towns contract without sending additional salary in addition to Randle and DiVincenzo. As Tim Bontempts reported, the Hornets are part of this trade and will absorb additional salary. The Knicks and Hornets are still working out the details of who is involved. Similar to when New York agreed to acquire Bridges in late June, expect more players to participate.
How Towns’ tenure in Minnesota will be remembered
Shelburne: Kindly, but incomplete. He waited a long time to play with a co-star like Anthony Edwards. It would have been nice to see this team get one more crack at it after last season’s conference playoffs. But Towns was no longer on the same timeline as Wolves’ young core and he did too much 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 the team sent him to a situation he would be happy with.
Herring: As someone who was wildly talented and played a role in starting to turn things around for the Wolves. He never seemed to be the main star turning the tide — that was more Jimmy Butler and then eventually Edwards — but few big men in the league were better than the former No. 1 pick in Minnesota. In addition to what he did on the court, he showed an unusual amount of vulnerability in 2020 and 2021, especially after losing his mother and seven other relatives to COVID-19.
Brands: Like 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 current Head Coach Chris Finch was hired) and endless trips to the lottery. He will finish his time in Minnesota ranked only behind 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 Ironman. He played hard in every game. Two things valued highly by Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau. He had flaws, and sometimes didn’t handle the crowd well. But he eventually overcame much of that and earned respect around the franchise and the city. He was something of 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 some ways, it will be similar to the way Wolves fans have seen Towns’ tenure. Randle was very flawed at times; especially early in his time in New York. But his work ethic and on-court improvements helped the Knicks turn a corner on what had been the league’s most dismal run over the previous two decades. He made two All-NBA teams and often looked the part of a No. 1 option before struggling mightily several times in the postseason. Randle hoped to rewrite his postseason story this past season along with co-star Jalen Brunson, but the forward suffered a dislocated shoulder in late January, and after rehabbing was unable to return to the lineup. However, on an individual scale, he exceeded the expectations fans had when the Knicks signed him back in 2018.
Brands: Unfinished. Yes, Randle was named All-NBA three times with New York, but most fans will remember his absences in the Atlanta and Miami playoff series that contributed to a long stint of postseason disappointments for the Knicks.
