As little as two weeks ago, New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns was still a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves, gearing up to improve upon the team’s best season in over 20 years. Suddenly, a blockbuster trade sent the four-time All-Star to New York to help them complete their quest for a championship alongside superstar Jalen Brunson.
Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns is still in shock over the trade
Towns, a New Jersey native, is still trying to acclimate himself to playing in New York and living a completely different lifestyle that he was living the first nine years he spent in Minnesota.
“I’m having moments where even for me being on social media, very rare times that I do, or I’m getting a Timberwolves update on my phone, and I’m kind of confused by a lot of things,” Towns said via Zach Braziller of the New York Post.
Sunday will be a day of reunion for Towns, as the Knicks will be taking on the Timberwolves at Madison Square Garden for their third game of the preseason. That game will also mark a Garden return for Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle, both of whom were sent to Minnesota in the trade for Towns.
“Yeah, it’s going to be weird,” Towns added. “It’s going to be very weird on Sunday.”
The Knicks needed a center leading up to the Towns trade
The Knicks acquired Towns due to their desperate need to add at the center position. Mitchell Robinson is going to be out until 2025 as he recovers from offseason ankle surgery, and Isaiah Hartenstein signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder in free agency. It was an all-in move by New York that came as a shock to many, including the players involved.
However, from a basketball standpoint, the acquisition significantly increases the Knicks’ title odds. Brunson and Towns have the potential to be the best pick-and-roll duo in the NBA, and New York now has a seven-footer with a near-40% career three-point shooting mark.
The Knicks got a glimpse of what their new All-Star duo could look like in their last preseason game against the Washington Wizards. Brunson scored 23 points on 7-10 shooting and Towns recorded a double-double with 25 points and 12 rebounds.
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The Knicks are set up to succeed
On top of Brunson and Towns, the Knicks potentially have the best defensive duo in the league in Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby. Add the pesky Josh Hart to this group, and the Knicks have themselves arguably the most balanced starting five in the league, addressing every aspect of the game with some of the best possible options.
The trade shock is still there for Towns, and many fans are still reeling over the losses of DiVincenzo and Randle. However, what Towns can bring to the table could quickly make a fan favorite, and a sustained period of success could one day vault him into prestigious Knicks history.
