Knicks Land Karl-Anthony Towns in Star-Studded Timberwolves Trade

The New York Knicks made a major trade in the final hours of Friday night.

Oct 14, 2023; New York, New York, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts during a time out during the first quarter against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks offered a whole new meaning to "working weekend" in the late stages of Friday night.

Originally reported by Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, the Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to a multi-pronged deal that headlined by Karl-Anthony Towns' transfer to Manhattan. Per the pair, New York will part ways with Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and Keita Bates-Diop (who was previously obtained in the Mikal Bridges trade with the Brooklyn Nets) while salary in the form of DaQuan Jeffries, Charlie Brown Jr., and Duane Washington Jr. is set to move to Charlotte.

Per Charania, Krawczynski, and Fred Katz, the Knicks will also send over two second-round picks to the Hornets, who also get one from Minnesota. The Knicks will also obtain the rights to Spanish League James Nnaji, the 31st overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, from the Hornets.

Thus solves the Knicks' interior woes in the wake of Mitchell Robinson's reported medical setback, one that's said to be keeping New York's top previous center sidelined until December or January.

Towns, a Metuchen, NJ native and four-time All-Star, is averaging a 22.9-point, 10.8-rebound double-double since entering the Association as the top pick in the 2015 draft. He returned to the floor in style last year, putting up 21.8 points and 8.3 rebounds after injuries limited him to only 29 games the year before.

The trade is nonetheless a costly one for the Knicks, who bid farewell to two of the major names behind last season's success: Randle, bereft of a long-term contract entering this season despite five strong years in Manhattan, was the undisputed face of the Knicks franchise until Jalen Brunson showed up while DiVincenzo, one of Brunson's fellow former Villanova Wildcats likewise departs after one exhilarating season that saw him set a franchise mark for most successful three-pointers in one campaign.

The Knicks are set to visit Minnesota on Dec. 19 while Randle and DiVincenzo's returns to Madison Square Garden will land on Jan. 17.

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