The New York Knicks needed a center — and they just traded for one of the best offensive centers in the game.
The Knicks reportedly have agreed to a trade for Karl-Anthony Towns, sending Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves, a deal broken by Shams Charania and John Krawczynski of The Athletic. This ultimately is a three-team trade involving Charlotte to make the money work, and Minnesota also will get 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, Towns can get buckets around the rim and stretch the floor from 3. He is an offensive force (maybe only behind Nikola Jokic in tonday’s NBA). He can start this season at the 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, got better on paper. They are a legit threat to the Celtics on top of the East (even if they lost a little guard depth).
The big question: Is Towns mentally ready for a grinding, 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 previously 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 a better fit). Second, they pick up 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 do not re-sign Randle. Minnesota was about to become the most expensive team in the league, and because of the new CBA’s second tax apron, staying a contender would be an issue. It could make Randle a free agent this summer, or he could opt-in 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.
