The Minnesota Timberwolves shook-up their team in a major way mere days before starting training camp. Trading franchise centerpiece C/PF Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks in return for F Julius Randle, SG Donte DiVincenzo and a 2025 1st-round pick via Detroit. KAT, drafted by the T-Wolves first overall in 2015, spend his entire 9-year career with the organization. Jon Krawczynski, senior writer for The Athletic, had an interesting tidbit. In a post on Twitter/X he stated, “KAT did not request this trade. He never has requested a move in nine years here.” Sounds like he’s been the good soldier for a somewhat dysfunctional organization. What makes the move even more puzzling is the fact they’re coming off a 56-26 record in 2023/24, where Minnesota won two playoff series and made the Western Conference Finals before losing (4-1) against the Dallas Mavericks. The sailing hasn’t always been smooth for Towns; three 1st round playoff losses in addition to missing the playoffs five times, but he gave his everything to the franchise. Unfortunately, after the Wolves drafted Anthony Edwards, who’s skyrocketed into being a top-10 NBA player, he’s been replaced as the alpha dog/first option by the young SG.

There is also the financial piece of the deal for Minnesota, which is important as the current owner Glen Taylor is locked in a legal dispute with Alex Rodriguez and his partner Marc Lore. Looking at Sportac’s salary cap data, the T-Wolves are ranked 30th out of 30 teams with their expenses totaling $235,660,235 for 2024/25. With them being about $95 million dollars over the limit, a reported $140 million dollars for the season. Any team over the salary cap is subjected to a luxury tax penalty ($1.50 per every dollar over the salary cap) with half of the penalty money being shared equally among the other NBA teams. There is also something called the second apron, agreed to during the 2023 collective bargaining agreement between the players and NBA, which states any team that finishes the season $17.5 million dollars over the salary cap will be subjected to a number of roster building restrictions like not being able to take on more money than sent out in any trade, in addition to financial penalties. Furthermore, any team over the second apron after the 2024/25 season will have their 2032 first-round pick frozen (not able to use it in a trade). There is no doubt the threat of the sanctions factored into the Timberwolves decision to trade Karl-Anthony Towns, who’s now in year-1 of his designated veterans extension – 4-years, $220,441,984 million dollar.

C Rudy Gobert being on the roster and taking up a chunk of the cap didn’t help. He’s an outstanding post-defender and rebounder, but offers very little on the offensive end. Minnesota tried to create a ‘two-tower’ situation that didn’t go as planned. While the team defense was overall improved, playing both Gobert and Karl-Anthony Towns together slowed the Timberwolves offense down and clogged the driving lanes for Anthony Edwards.

By trading away Karl-Anthony Towns, the Timberwolves give themselves future cap flexibility but are still in cap hell for the next two seasons with Rudy Gobert ($46,655,173) and newly acquired Julius Randle ($30,935,520) both having expensive player-options for the 2025/26 season. After the 2026 season, only Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Donte DiVincenzo are under contract. It’s very likely rookies Rob Dillingham and Terrance Shannon Jr. have their team-options picked up and be on the team. At that point, Edwards will be 25 years old and still have 3-years left on his deal, plenty of time and money to reshape the roster around the young guard. By that time, the ownership dispute will also be cleared up and whoever is left in-charge will be able to enact their vision for the franchise. The team can’t bottom out either as the Utah Jazz hold their 2025, 2027 and 2029 1st-round picks from the Rudy Gobert trade. The goal seemed to be stay competitive in the present, while opening up financial flexibility in the future.

On the other hand, the New York Knicks are all in on the 2024/25 season and beyond. Especially after sending a boatload of assets to the Brooklyn Nets for Mikal Bridges. In that deal, the Knicks traded four of their own 1st-round picks (2025, 2027, 2029, 2031 – all unprotected), along with a 2025 1st-round pick (top-4 protected) via the Milwaukee Bucks , their own 2025 2nd-round pick, a 2028 unprotected pick swap and players Bojan Bogdanovic, Mamadi Diakite and Shake Milton. New York’s salary cap is currently at $191,163,570 million dollars, $50,575,570 million dollars over the threshold, so they have no room to maneuver in-season and are locked into the top-6 players on their roster for the next two seasons, with Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart locked in for 3+ years at some pretty high cap numbers. New York is really banking on KAT being the piece to take them over the top and bring a home a championship, the organization’s first since 1973.

His skill-set (3-level scorer, rebounder and high-character/energy) should mesh well with what New York already has on offense. The drive-and-kick game should be excellent with Jalen Brunson having plenty of space in the lane to work and many options to pass to on the perimeter. Expect a big season from the diminutive point guard. Plus, they can overcome KAT’s deficiencies on defense much better than Minnesota ever could. Whenever he had to guard on the perimeter, he was cooked as the Timberwolves weren’t a good help defense team. Meanwhile the Knicks have a plethora of quick, athletic and lengthy wing defenders, who’ll be able to shade towards Towns and provide him some relief. New York head coach Tom Thibodeau’s hallmarks are defense, intensity and effort so you know he’ll have an idea of how to best protect the former Kentucky Wildcat. Who knows, maybe KAT will improve his defense under Thibs too.

Overall, the deal suits both teams and all players involved. Karl-Anthony Towns heads to a big market with big aspirations of success, where he has the chance to write himself into the lore of an iconic franchise if everything goes right. Julius Randle gets out of the NY spotlight where he was good, and had solid numbers, but always seemed to have something go wrong in the biggest moment. A fresh start on a playoff-caliber team, next to one of the NBA’s brightest young stars, and plenty of shot’s available, could reinvigorate the also former Kentucky Wildcats career (he and KAT missed each other by one season). Donte DiVincenzo has been a bit of a journeyman, 4 teams over the last 3 seasons, but seemingly found a home in New York prior to the trade, as he signed a 4-year, $46.67 million dollar deal going into the 2023/24 season. He was an important player for them last season, posting a career-high in points. Once the Knicks traded for Mikal Bridges though DiVincenzo became redundant, and possibly in-line for a much reduced role. In Minnesota, he will be afforded plenty of playing time and shots.