The New York Knicks just made a blockbuster trade out of left field, as Shams Charania of The Athletic reports that they have acquired Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo. In a deal that will certainly shake the fanbase, the Knicks part ways with both a beloved sharpshooter and one of their longest-tenured stars. Randle, who was a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA forward with New York, will join a Finals contender and try to win his first NBA Championship.
After the injury to Mitchell Robinson it was clear that the Knicks would need a center, and this shores up the position as they try to contend for a title in 2025.
Karl-Anthony Towns Heads to the Knicks In Crazy Trade
Last season, Karl-Anthony Towns made his fourth All-Star team as he averaged 22.9 points per game and shot nearly 40% from downtown. A move that should further improve the Knicks’ spacing, they can run a starting lineup that can be both offensively and defensively dominant.
A New Jersey native, the Knicks have been linked to KAT countless times before, as they’ve seemed to love his profile and have targeted him numerous times. With this deal, they finally acquire the second star that Leon Rose has always wanted to put next to Jalen Brunson, and it forms a devastating offensive duo.
The price the New York Knicks will have to pay is steep though, as Minnesota will receive both Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo, who were two of the better scorers on this team.
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Julius Randle was one of the best Knicks this team has had over the last decade, as he was their leading scorer in four of the five seasons he spent in New York. As for Donte DiVincenzo, he soared in a bigger role once Randle went down with what became a season-ending shoulder injury, becoming one of the best shooters in the NBA.
Both players were revered in New York and will head to Minnesota as key pieces of what should be a championship contender, but this deal is far from finished. Fred Katz of The Athletic is reporting that the trade cannot be completed financially unless a third team is involved, so more details are bound to come about this trade.
It’s a shocking deal that wasn’t rumored to occur over the summer, but the Knicks improve the ceiling of their roster while acquiring a proven superstar who can reinforce the center depth chart.