More than a year after being traded, the feeling of shock and confusion stays with Karl-Anthony Towns.
“I’m still stunned, I mean, I’m still stunned. It’s weird,” Towns told ESPN following the New York Knicks‘ 137-114 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, his former team, on November 5.
“I feel more like a Knick now after everything we went through last year, but it’s weird to see that Wolves jersey and not see ‘Towns’ on the back of it.”
Towns has settled into New York just fine, but it’s no surprise facing the Timberwolves brought back these feelings for him. Before the stunning deal that was finalized just before the season started, he looked like he was going to be a franchise cornerstone in Minnesota. The Timberwolves’ No. 1 overall pick in 2015 had just signed a four-year extension with a team that went to the Western Conference finals the season before.
The Knicks, however, were able to acquire the offensive-minded big man they needed to propel them to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in 25 years, perfectly complementing an offense led by shifty guard Jalen Brunson. Towns has also fared well in the two matchups with his former team since the trade.
Revisiting The Trade Involving Karl-Anthony Towns
The blockbuster between the Knicks, Timberwolves and Charlotte Hornets involving some of each team’s best players was finalized on October 3, 2024. New York ended up sending Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Keita Bates-Diop and a first-round pick to Minnesota in exchange for Towns.
At the time, DiVincenzo was the crucial piece in the deal for the Timberwolves, who wanted another wing player to complement the ascending Anthony Edwards. The sharpshooter among the “Nova Knicks” averaged a career-high 15.5 points per game and made a career-best 283 three-pointers in 2023-24.
Towns, of course, was the focus for New York. He brings an All-Star level of scoring and rebounding that the Knicks needed to take the next step in their offensive progression. And by dealing Randle, they had the cap space to take on the big man’s contract.
“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 said in a statement.
For the most part, the deal has worked out well for both sides. Randle and DiVincenzo have been key pieces for the Timberwolves and helped them return to the Western Conference finals last season. Towns and the Knicks got to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 2000 and look like early favorites to return this season.
KAT Has Played Well Against His Former Team
Despite the strange feeling he said he gets when playing against his former team, Towns has been dominant in two meetings with the Timberwolves as a Knick.
On December 19, 2024, in his return to Target Center, Towns had 32 points and 20 rebounds and was 5-5 from beyond the arc in a 133-107 win for the Knicks. Last night, he had 15 points, including dunks over Rudy Gobert and Edwards, in the victory for New York at Madison Square Garden.
“It’s always great when you see your brothers,” Towns said, reminiscing on his time with Minnesota. “Ant, becoming the face of the league. Me and Rudy, years and years of battles against each other, turning teammates, having a close bond. It was really good to compete against my brothers.”
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