BREAKING: New York Knicks secure blockbuster trade for Karl-Anthony Towns

Karl-Anthony Towns will finally be a Knick.

After years of flirtations and rumours, Towns, the four-time All-Star, is being traded from Minnesota to New York in a blockbuster deal, a source confirmed.

According to The Athletic, the Knicks are sending Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round pick.

However, since the Knicks and Timberwolves are both operating over the luxury tax apron, more players and possibly a third team has to be involved.

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The shocking deal comes as the Knicks desperately need a starting center and they took a gamble on a very expensive one with Towns owed well over $200 million over the next four seasons.

Towns, 28, previously played under Tom Thibodeau in Minnesota and they butted heads but reconciled afterwards. Towns has been linked to the Knicks ever since Leon Rose took over the front office.

Rose had been Towns’ agent and remains a client of CAA, the agency with close ties to the Knicks.

With Randle, the Knicks are trading a three-time All-Star and one of players most responsible for resuscitating the organization over the last few seasons.

He was a three-time All-Star with New York as its starting power forward, a Most Improved Player winner and a two-time All-NBA selection.

Towns, playing on a four-year, $220.4 million ($A318m) contract, has three more years of team control before a player option in 2027-28.

This story first appeared on The New York Postand was reproduced with permission.