“Not Speaking”: Karl-Anthony Towns Beef With Tom Thibodeau Unfolded as Insider Reveals New Details on Knicks Trade

And there’s your shocker of the summer. Karl-Anthony Towns is no longer a part of the Timberwolves pack! The trade with the New York Knicks surprised the NBA community and in Quick Silver’s words “You didn’t see that coming”. While the expected plan was to reunite the Nova Boys, the franchise played their cards well by adding Towns to their roster at the cost of two stars: Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle, and a first-round pick. Yes, the same KAT that Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau hated to look eye to eye in his Minnesota days. As the three-team trade is yet to be completed, the players will reportedly not attend the Media Day with their respective teams otherwise it would have been an awkward confrontation for Towns. Nevertheless, their alleged beef is once again all over social media, courtesy of Jon Krawczynski.

The Knicks-TWolves-Hornets trade is the new talk of the town. It’s grabbing the headlines for all the obvious reasons. And KAT’s time with Thibs wasn’t all roses and sunshine. Well, if you are someone who is unaware of their history, this is the best time to catch up with the drama. On the latest episode of the “Katz and Shoot” podcast, The Athletic’s insider spoke about their past and how that affected their relationship in the three seasons (2016-19) at the Timberwolves.

About the offensive center, Krawczynski said, “Kat is a gentle, but, like, fun-loving, goofy guy who wants to have a family in that locker room, who wants to have everyone like each other and get along and be friends and enjoy each other, enjoy playing basketball and not have it feel like a job.” On the flip side, he said, “Thibs just wants you to punch your card and start the time clock, and get in there, and do your work, and then, you know, slide down the brontosaurus and go home.”

Their contrasting personalities added to the real problem that they faced in T’Wolves according to Krawczynski. “Karl Anthony Towns did not like the way that Thibs allowed Jimmy Butler to just run rough shot over the entire organization,” he highlighted. Not only did it bother the Dominican but everyone else in the franchise. He added, “By the time that Thibs was fired, they were not speaking.” Besides this, a lack of respect also brewed.

However, Krawczynski feels that time is a healer. Following Thibodeau’s exit, many players figured out his tactics and learned to appreciate them. He noted that KAT certainly has the maturity to understand Thibs a bit better now, which would help him to fit in the head coach’s plan.

How would Karl-Anthony Towns fit into the Knicks?

The Knicks have strengthened their already solid core team by acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns. Considering everything stays the same for the New Yorkers, they could start with their best choices. The newly signed swingman, Mikal Bridges, could support his former Villanova teammate, Jalen Brunson. KAT would bridge the gap between the defensive and offensive fields. OG Anunoby and Josh Hart will look after the scoring department. KAT impressed the TWolves by grabbing 8.3 rebounds per night last season besides putting up numbers (21.8 PPG) on the scoreboard. The same performance is expected from the 7-footer in his new franchise.

Last season, Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein anchored the Knicks’ frontcourt. But Robinson’s ankle injury took a toll on him. Even Hartenstein left for the Thunder. Now the NY fanbase will look up to KAT to showcase his veteran experience. Hopefully, this time history won’t repeat itself. The hope is that both KAT and Thibs will put their past differences aside and find a way to work together. Their sights must be set on the championship. When asked about coaching his former player during the Knicks media day, he said, “Good try”. With a broad smile!