The New York Knicks will acquire All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns, whose plug-and-play capabilities will serve as a major asset to New York’s offense.
The New York Knicks made a late-night trade Friday, acquiring All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a protected 2025 first-round selection via Detroit.
(To make the money work, the Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves looped in the Charlotte Hornets, and it’s yet unclear what the final parameters of the deal are.)
What is known is that the Knicks have pulled off yet another blockbuster trade, marking the third of such since December when they acquired OG Anunoby. In July, the organization traded for Mikal Bridges, who had interest from most teams around the association, and now appear primed for a deep Eastern Conference playoff run.
While the loss of DiVincenzo is significant, due to his floor-spacing capabilities, and defensive acumen, Towns represents not just a major upgrade, but he also solves a positional problem the Knicks have had since losing center Isaiah Hartenstein to the Oklahoma City Thunder over the offseason.
With Towns now in-house, the Knicks have both him and Mitchell Robinson handling the center spot, allowing Anunoby, Bridges, Josh Hart, and Jalen Brunson to focus on the perimeter.
As for Randle, he was always going to be a wonky fit on the Knicks after their Bridges acquisition.
