Knicks Insiders Shuts Down Donte DiVincenzo Rumor

As his final hours on the New York Knicks roster tick away, supposed Donte DiVincenzo drama has put a damper on the otherwise euphoric proceedings.

New York is set to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns in a blockbuster deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves but it comes at the price of both DiVincenzo and Julius Randle, two major reasons why the Knicks won 50 games and the second seed on the Eastern Conference playoff bracket last season.

Since the deal, first reported by Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, went down, hardwood gossip has hinted that DiVincenzo was highly dissatisfied with his role in Manhattan, even with three fellow former Villanova Wildcats (Mikal Bridges, Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart) in tow. SNY Knicks insider Ian Begley refuted those rumors while reporting from the team training facility in Tarrytown on Monday.

“I saw a couple of reports about the Knicks shipping out DiVincenzo in part because he was upset about his role, potentially coming off the bench here. That’s not true,” Begley said. “The Knicks, all offseason long, checked in with the Timberwolves. They did not want to put DiVincenzo in this trade. That’s why it didn’t happen earlier in the offseason.”

“But ultimately it became clear that, in order to get the deal done, you had to put DiVincenzo in there. Minnesota wanted DiVincenzo and that’s why he was in there. It was not about his frustration with any role this year, reduced role.”

Fellow insider Stefan Bondy of the New York Post likewise shut down the idea of DiVincenzo dissatisfaction, saying that a league source labeled the “Big Ragu” as “pumped” about the idea of backing up Bridges, his former collegiate teammate.

Begley did reiterate that DiVincenzo “wasn’t in love with the idea” of coming off the bench, especially after a career-best campaign that saw him set the Knicks’ single-season record for most successful three-pointers. DiVincenzo began his first … and only … season as a Knick as a reserve before taking over the starting shooting guard’s role from Quentin Grimes in early December.

But he again confirmed that it never got to the point where such dissatisfaction forced the Knicks to include him in a trade.

“I think anybody in his position wouldn’t be in love with the idea of playing fewer minutes, maybe taking fewer shots the following season. I think it’s just human nature,” Begle said. “But that did not factor into the Knicks’ decision to move him to Minnesota to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns.”

Though unable to comment on the trade due to its lack of official status, several speakers at the Knicks’ media day activities on Monday offered hearty tributes to both DiVincenzo and Randle. Josh Hart, for example, implored Knicks fans to offer the pair a hearty welcome back when the two inevitably return to Madison Square Garden as opponents.

“When they come here, I hope and know that the Garden is going to show both of those guys love for the sacrifices they made in a Knicks jersey,” Hart said in video from SNY.

Those fans might not have to wait long, as Minnesota is set to visit MSG on Oct. 13 for a preseason game.

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