Winners and Losers for the New York Knicks & Minnesota T'Wolves Trade

I know NBA Media Day is 'technically' seen as the beginning of the NBA season. However, with Saturday's news of Karl Anthony-Towns being traded to the New York Knicks in exchange for Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle and a 1st-Round-Pick via the Detroit Pistons.

It felt like THAT was the jolt we all needed to remind us that NBA season 2024/25 is only weeks away.

Now having time to sit and marinate on this trade and having already discussed my initial reaction with Tom on the EXCUSE THE NOISE podcast, here are my 'winners' and 'losers' of the trade.

WINNERS:

Karl Anthony-Towns

Yes, it may not feel like it is to him now, but KAT is in a much better situation than he was in Minnesota.

For one he will no longer be playing out of position. KAT is a centre, and a good one at that.

Playing him at the four is like making the new Joker sequel a musical. No-one is really asking for it, you’d prefer to watch the original and it comes with mixed results.

He’ll be playing with the best point guard he has ever had, as well as probably the best defensive wings to help cover his short comings on that side of the ball.

He’s still going to be given the opportunity to get his own on offense (in nine seasons he has only averaged under 20pts once which was as a rookie) while be a part of a of storied franchise that is well and truly on the upswing.

Unless of course if the Knicks do Knicks things and shit the bed this year. This will probably then make KAT the biggest loser in all of this as he is the awkward new puzzle piece that doesn’t really play defence, commits dumb fouls and just makes himself an easy target.

He’ll already be playing for a coach that he has a not so great history with to say the least and was the decision which resulted in us being robbed of the Nova Knicks.

Oh yeah, and he thought it was tough not showing up in the play-offs while playing in Minnesota? Just wait for if that happens in the Garden.

Minnesota Owners Bank Accounts

This trade happened for one simple reason.

With an arbitration battle afoot, the T’Wolves ownership wanted no part in paying KAT his 4-year $224 million extension which kicks in this year.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst said that the two teams brokered this deal to help solve their own unique problems.

“The Knicks get their franchise center -- affordable thanks to Brunson, who is now inexplicably the team's third-highest paid player after leaving $113 million on the table in his extension over the summer,” said Windhorst.

“The Wolves save eight figures this year and potentially tens of millions more in the coming seasons while opening up more space for (Naz) Reid and bolstering their bench with a great shooter.”

He continued to highlight that in light of the league’s new CBA agreement that the traditionally ‘frugal’ T’Wolves were facing “heavy losses this season”.

“Because of a whopper of a luxury tax bill coming due with new contracts for Towns and Anthony Edwards. But it isn't just about this year; the next few years are potentially monetarily punishing,” Windhorst wrote.

With player options for Gobert and Reid upcoming, both worth $46 million and $15 million respectively, plus a new $41 million contract bump for Edwards thanks to All-NBA honours, ownership just couldn’t afford their team.

Their bank account will much prefer the team friendly contract from DiVencenzo, Randall’s expiring and a player to come onto the books at a later date.

Jalen Brunson

Brunson may be sad that he lost one of his Nova buddies.  However, he may not have played with an offensive talent like KAT since his Dallas days.

As I said, KAT is a career 22ppg scorer. He’s one of the best big man shooters ever (some may say the best (he says it, he says he’s the best)), solid rebounder and is a seamless fit into that starting 5.

I personally can’t wait to see their pick and roll. Brunson going down hill on his left and KAT either rolling down on the right or popping out to the three for a clean look with that pressure opening up corner 3’s for OG Anunoby and Bridges.

It will be great to watch and I’m sure will bring the Garden crowd to their feet multiple times this season.

Naz Reid

If you haven’t gotten on the Reid train, it may be too late. I think it has already left the station.

Winning the 6th Man of the Year award last season after averaging 13.5ppg and 5rpg on 47% shooting meant it was a career year for the bench big.

Some say Randall is coming in as the clear four man. But call me sceptical, the T’Wolves were GOOD when Reid was on the floor and after shooting over 40% from 3 last year, the

Minnesota coaching staff may be best served going with the 25-year-old who provides that little extra spacing around Gobert to help open lanes for Ant to attack the hoop.

LOSERS

Minnesota Fans

Sometimes basketball just sucks.

After making the Conference Finals for the first time since the KG era, the T’Wolves looked like they had finally shed their ‘Pups’ status and were finally ready for potential championship glory.

Unfortunately, life is cruel and even though you may have the league’s next ‘guy’ in Anthony Edwards you can’t blame fans to feel deflated by this trade.

Yes, KAT had his problems. I’ve named enough of them in this article.

However, two things were clear.

He was more than happy to be Robin to Edwards’ Batman and he loved Minnesota.

Brian Windhorst wrote of the assurances KAT hoped for from the franchise due to his acceptance of his reduced role.

“Towns is starting a four-year, $224 million extension signed back when he looked like the centerpiece franchise player in 2022. Not unlike Randle actually, Towns had seen his role change since that deal, as he'd become a willing supporter to Edwards,” wrote Windhorst.

“Last year, Towns was immensely proud that he earned a spot on the All-Star team while handing over the reins to Edwards. Towns had previously sought assurances from (Tim) Connelly (T’Wolves President of Basketball Operations) that he wouldn't be traded because he wanted to settle into that role. Connelly, who has built powerhouse teams in Denver and now Minnesota, said all the right things in their meetings but ultimately could not give that promise.”

The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski further reported that Towns never once requested a trade from the T’Wolves in the nine years he was with the franchise.

Seems things were just about to finally fall into place for Minnesota fans, unfortunately life had other plans.

Julius Randle

2024 has been a rough year for former Knick, now T’Wolve , Julius Randle.

Randle is a prime Bill Simmons Ewing Theory candidate following his right-shoulder injury in January this year.

At the time of his injury the Knicks were 4th in the East sitting at 29-17. By the end of the year, New York shot all the way up to 2nd in the East finishing with a 50-32 record.

They were just a better watch and a better team without him in the squad. Plain and simple.

So, with the recent addition of Mikael Bridges from the Nets it was looking like Randle was the odd man out for this roster.

Too big to fall into the style of play that helped the Knicks at the backend of last season and too small and slow to be a proper 5 that went up against the other premier bigs in the league.

Now he’s in a Minnesota in a similar situation, on an expiring contract and new questions about how he fits on the roster.

Expect him to be traded again sometime this season.

Tom Thibodeau?

This is a weird one.

Bill Simmons recently had former NBA player Austin Rivers on his podcast to discuss the trade. Rivers, who was coached by Tibs and played with Kat, noted their personalities are, “polar opposites”.

Tibs coached KAT in Minnesota and unsurprisingly, the pair weren’t best buds.

Rivers says that KAT must be prepared for the spotlight that will be shining brighter than anything he experienced his first nine-years in the league, regardless of his past history with his new coach.

“He’s a different type of guy (Towns) emotionally, personality wise, he’s been in Minnesota his entire career. This is a huge stage for him, this is a different stage. You were always on the young bad team that was like up-and-coming and then last year you all really got there,” Rivers said.

“But now you’re thrown in a team that’s like we’re going to win right now. With a coach that expects right now. With a coach historically we know you and him weren’t the greatest, and that’s an understatement, and now you’re with him on the biggest Broadway show in basketball sports.”

I’m not saying officially Tibs is a loser, hence the ‘?’. However, it’s hard to say he is a winner when he's a coach that is seen to push for tough hard-noised players and KAT, so far, is seen to be the opposite.

The NOVA Knicks

What a time the end of last year was with Villanova Wildcat teammate’s Brunson, DiVencenzo and Josh Hart banning together and pushing the Knicks through an epic end of season run.

This year looked like it would be even more fun with former Wildcat and then Brooklyn Net Mikael Bridges crossing the Brooklyn Bridge and now calling Madison Square Garden home.

In what most Knicks fans were calling their, ‘favourite Knicks team in decades’, they were seen to be built on friendship, chemistry and Villanova spirit.

You couldn’t blame Knicks fans for googling where Ryan Arcidiacono is playing (the G-League btw) and planning on partying like it was the 2016 NCAA Tournament.

However, it wasn’t to be, we were robbed and I am sad.