The New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves’ trade of Karl-Anthony Towns is unprecedented, even by NBA standards.
Although shocking blockbuster transactions involving two title contenders are nothing new to this league, a new CBA that aims to prevent such deals from happening—the weekend before training camp begins—is a bit much. Wow, I didn’t know that.
The 2024–25 season title was a goal for both the Knicks and the Timberwolves coming into Friday. They both want to compete for the 2024–25 title when they go on Friday. Just days before training camps scheduled to start, they completely revamped their rosters and traded reigning All-Stars. Historically, the only trade that could be considered comparable would have been the 2017 August trade involving Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas. Shock takes up too much time for anyone. Monday marks the unofficial start of the season.
After all this, how are we to interpret it? For what reasons did two teams with Finals aspirations make such sweeping roster changes? How did the two teams do in the trade? Our results for Friday’s shocking event are in.
Knicks of New York: B+
Within the following year, the Knicks needed to address two significant issues. There was an immediate problem with the center location. Free agency was Isaiah Hartenstein’s exit strategy. There is an injury to Mitchell Robinson. Size matters a great deal to Tom Thibodeau’s teams. Sometime, New York has to take a chance on a center. The contract with Julius Randle was the longer-term problem. As a floor-raiser rather than a ceiling-raiser, he makes more sense—he’s an All-Star three times over. To be successful, he must have possession of the ball. He has an erratic jump shot. Likewise, his defense is. The pick-and-roll with Jalen Brunson is something he’s never completely mastered, but to be fair, the Knicks weren’t exactly the ones who asked him to either. To some extent, he represented a bygone era of their team. Brunson inherited a culture that he helped establish. On the other hand, a Brunson-centric squad could have used him in a different way. His honors implied he would get a contract, but he just wouldn’t have enough control over the ball to warrant it.
The Knicks took care of both issues simultaneously. For a Knicks squad that is also fairly engaged in Robinson, Towns’ versatility as a power forward and center is a huge plus. This trait is unusual among contemporary big men. In order to solve their short-term issue, the Knicks sidestepped their long-term dilemma with Randle. The Towns fit is considerably more streamlined.
A good marksman isn’t all he is. Statistically speaking, he is the best center shooter in NBA history. When a big player can shoot that well, it affects the game. Josh Hart’s defense isn’t going to let the Knicks down nearly as often anymore. Do it at your own risk; it would be completely irresponsible to let him unrestricted access to the glass with this spacing. But the Knicks, in contrast to the Timberwolves, are much more equipped to capitalize on the remainder of his talents. The pick-and-roll game is Towns’ strong suit. Due to the lack of quality guards when he was a rookie with the Timberwolves and Towns’ placement in badly spaced lines alongside Rudy Gobert, he was never allowed to showcase his skills. He will be adored by Jalen Brunson.
Does Towns cause problems with defense? Yes, but they can be done with the correct team. It is clear that the Knicks have the correct roster. They also have Robinson on hand in case they decide he needs to align with a conventional rim protector. On the other hand, he probably begins out as the lone big man in New York. He makes excellent use of his mobility and space to impede ball handlers in aggressive pick-and-roll defenses and block passing lanes. Just consider the outside defenders on this team; Thibodeau usually has high standards for his rim protectors. When faced with OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and Deuce McBride, how frequently could anybody hope to succeed? When the situation calls for it, Anunoby can even play center defense. There is no better team for Towns to join given his unique combination of skills.
It hurts to lose DiVincenzo. McBride can no longer be a reserve that is either abundant or scarce. After more than living up to expectations last season, he is now the sixth man. Concerns regarding his contract will be voiced. Definitely, he got paid too much. As we’ll see, most teams would be uneasy with a four-year super max, which is why Minnesota had to trade for him. Nonetheless, this is the adaptability that you get with Jalen Brunson’s sale price. The Knicks will be able to pay this deal because to the subsidies from Brunson and, in the long run, Mikal Bridges. No other squad had that advantage.
For the Knicks, the budget will be tight. They are now mostly depleted of first-round capital that can be traded and have lost significant depth. Everything major has been moved. The Knicks can’t win it all until this club can win it in a different incarnation. However, considering the Knicks already owed Brooklyn draft picks, this is a gain due to the enormous talent upgrade. There are dangers involved with that victory, but the Knicks have to take them because of the payoff they could get.
B+ for the Minnesota Timberwolves
Although it was reluctantly acknowledged, Minnesota was forced to trade Karl-Anthony Towns. Some think that waiting a year would be a good idea. Just seven victories separated the Timberwolves from a championship run. As a rule, that group is responsible for running it again. When the Saints attempted to trade Brandon Ingram this summer, Minnesota witnessed the consequences. Trades involving players who demand maximum money but fail to deliver on a consistent basis have never been more challenging. Towns don’t simply anticipate maximum revenue. He will be bound to it for the next four years. A number of possible outcomes may play out next summer if Minnesota attempted to execute this type of trade but was unsuccessful. That is the level of restriction placed on new CBA. Now was the time, or maybe never. The Timberwolves decided against taking a chance on the “never.”
Upstate New York is not Minnesota. Rudy Gobert, Jaden McDaniels, and Edwards are all making market-rate salaries. Without a doubt, Naz Reid will turn down a raise and forego his player option for the 2025–26 season. If Minnesota offers Gobert better long-term stability, he may be willing to forego some 2025–26 money. As of this season, the Timberwolves are considered a second-string squad. That puts a hold on their first-round pick for 2032. If there are too many apron penalties, the opening round might be postponed, which would be disastrous for them. There had to be a cost-cutting measure in Minnesota.
Perhaps if Towns had been more dependable, that location wouldn’t have been chosen. In contrast, he had seven playoff games with 20 points or more and nine with less. In the first three games of the Western Conference Finals, the Timberwolves were defeated by a combined score of thirteen points. In those games, Towns made 3-of-22 3-pointers and 15-of-54 field goals. When you pay Reid’s price, you can afford to overlook his inconsistent play. Not on full blast. Moving Gobert would be detrimental to Minnesota’s defensive identity. Not only is Edwards the greatest offensive player on the squad, but he also represents the franchise. Either Towns or the supporting cast had a hand in the final outcome. Given that Reid was essentially a carbon copy of him, Towns was the more logical choice. Additional doors were opened when he was moved.
Taking a chance on Randle, the Timberwolves are going with a less expensive option. A player worth $40 million was being traded to the Timberwolves for $50 million. At the same position, they are now paying a player $30 million. Even if the match isn’t perfect, the cost savings will more than cover the talent dip. In Minnesota, Randle’s superiority as a creator will be highly prized. Having a score creator other than Mike Conley or Edwards was something the Timberwolves desperately needed last season. With the addition of rookies Rob Dillingham and Terrance Shannon, Randle will be an asset in that regard. Particularly on a roster focused on Gobert, the shooting transition from Towns to Randle will be detrimental. That’s where DiVincenzo will be useful, but he won’t be able to seal the deal unless Randle isn’t. Depending on the matches, that might not be the worst idea. With DiVincenzo, Conley, and McDaniels surrounding an Edwards-Gobert pick-and-roll, good luck guarding that.
However, with Randle’s player option for the 2025–26 season, the acquisition’s stakes are minimal. His contract is only valid for another two years at most. In the event that this fails, the Timberwolves have the option to release him and reorganize below the salary cap. With all the draft picks they owe San Antonio and Utah, the Pistons pick they received from the Knicks in this trade will be huge on that front, and they can use his contract slot to trade for a better match.
They are now not obligated to play on a team they did not want to be on. Could the Randle version be effective? Great. Re-sign him for a lower amount than what it would have cost to retain Towns, and look for other ways to cut corners. In that case, you’ll have to change course. With Edwards, McDaniels, Reid, and Dillingham, you have a youthful core at your fingertips. Because he fits with everyone, DiVincenzo is perfectly at home with them. The Timberwolves are also allowed to bring in younger players if they feel the necessity.
You made a mistake trading for the Timberwolves if you thought they were among the championship favorites this year. As is the case with eight or nine other teams right now, the Timberwolves probably slipped into the “they’d need two or three major breaks to win the championship” category. Luka Doncic was unstoppable in the Western Conference Finals. It doesn’t matter where Doncic goes. Oklahoma City has come a long way since the spring of last year. Just because they beat Denver doesn’t indicate they solved the Nuggets’ mystery. Game 7 of that series found them down by 20 points. It would be foolish to put all your eggs in one team’s basket in the Western Conference, where teams could be ready for the playoffs at any moment. The Timberwolves were willing to give up some of their 2025 equity in order to lengthen their run and give it more versatility. It was a bold step, but it was likely the correct one.
In the end, it’s not about towns. On previous year’s squad, he ranked third in terms of performance. However, Edwards still has plenty of time to prove himself and become the greatest player in the world. It was worth it to sacrifice Towns if it means Edwards would have a long-term challenger to support him.
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