NBA
Knicks Winning Blockbuster Trade Ahead of Timberwolves Reunion
The New York Knicks are set to play the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday, Dec. 19, at 9:30 p.m. ET. The game marks the first regular-season meeting between the two and the return of star center Karl-Anthony Towns to Minnesota. Towns spent nine seasons with the Timberwolves before being traded to the Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in October.
The blockbuster trade seemingly came out of nowhere for the two teams that just went on playoff runs the season prior. New York, who fell in the second round last season, needed center depth following the departure of Isaiah Hartenstein and ankle surgery for Mitchell Robinson.
The move was more unexpected for the Timberwolves, as Towns emerged as a legitimate second option for the title contender despite having a disappointing 2024 postseason. It will certainly be emotional for Towns and Timberwolves fans, who watched him develop from a rookie in 2015 to the All-Star he is now.
With the game next up for the Knicks on the schedule, there is some reminiscence of the blockbuster trade back in October. While the Knicks are just 26 games into the 2024-25 season, it’s clear that they’re looking like the trade winners thus far.
Towns is looking like a legitimate MVP candidate, averaging 24.8 points, 13.9 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.0 blocks. He finds himself on the most recent NBA MVP ladder on NBA.com, ranking in the top five.
Unfortunately for Minnesota, Randle and DiVincenzo are not the same players they were last season. Randle, who missed the playoffs and a significant chunk of the regular season due to a dislocated shoulder, is averaging just 20.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. This is his lowest PRA total since the 2017-18 season when he was playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.
As for DiVincenzo, he’s shooting just 35.1% from the field and 31.9% from three, averaging just 8.3 points per game. Last season, he was a force in New York, putting up 17.8 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in the 2024 playoffs.
The hope for the Timberwolves was that they were getting a two-for-one deal in trading Towns. However, the two players they got in return took a dip, while Towns is playing perhaps the best basketball of his career on a winning team. Minnesota is 14-11, holding the eighth seed in a crowded Western Conference.
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Knicks Winning Blockbuster Trade Ahead of Timberwolves Reunion
