New York Knicks, Minnesota Timberwolves make blockbuster trade

The New York Knicks are working towards a deal to send Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round pick via Detroit to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns.

An absolute blockbuster trade just days before training camp and both teams make a massive move with championship aspirations.

For the Knicks fanbase, the losses of All-Star Julius Randle and fan favorite Donte DiVincenzo are heartbreaking.

Julius Randle was the first big-name player to sign with New York while this franchise was struggling and he undoubtedly brought this franchise from nothing to a contender. The fans should be showing him nothing but love as they say goodbye to the man who was at the core of this rebuild.

Donte DiVincenzo on the other hand was only a Knick for one year but the impact he had was unforgettable. He was the guy who stepped up when New York was facing injuries and he played 29 minutes a game as well as broke the Knicks all-time three-pointers made in a single season record.

When you match that up with the incredible playoff performances that he had and in one year he established himself as a Knicks legend.

The Knicks will be without their best shooter in their history next year but let’s discuss the star that’s headed to the Big Apple.

Karl-Anthony Towns has been in Minnesota since he was drafted as the number one overall pick in 2015 and this trade is certainly a shocking way for the organization to let him go. It was reported that KAT had no idea he would be traded and that Minnesota did not tell him their plans to send him to New York.

It’s a little shocking to me that the Wolves made it to the Western Conference Finals in one season of having that squad together and then the Wolves front office decided to blow it up and send KAT away.

The Timberwolves will be losing their longest-tenured player and I’m not too sure if Julius Randle will fit in well with this team.

The frontcourt of Randle and Rudy Gobert is not very intriguing and having the two on the court at the same time feels like it might be a liability for the Wolves.

The Knicks are gaining an All-NBA center that can provide possibly the best spacing in the league.

This felt like a move that the Knicks had to make after it was revealed that Mitchell Robinson wouldn't be returning to the court until a few months into the season as he’s still recovering from a fractured ankle in the playoffs.

The Knicks would’ve only had Jericho Sims and Precious Achiuwa on the roster to step up as the Knicks center for the time that Robinson would be missing and this just doesn’t feel like the recipe for success.

The Knicks needed to make a move for a center and Karl-Anthony Towns was someone that the Knicks have had their eye on for a long time.

For the Wolves, it seems as if they needed to let someone go as the big contracts of Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels begin to kick in this season but I’m not quite sure if this trade makes Minnesota a better team.

DiVincenzo will play a big role off the bench but I’m not entirely sure how Minnesota will perform with a questionable frontcourt. Only time will tell for Minnesota but head coach Chris Finch must have a plan.

NBA fans unfortunately did not get to see the “Villanova Knicks” in action, but with the acquisitions of Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns this offseason, New York is going all-in with hopes of adding another banner to Madison Square Garden.

Jacob Zacharia is a second-year student majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, please email jjz5612@psu.edu.