The result saw four-time All Star Karl Anthony Towns leave Minnesota, and head to the Knicks. Julius Randall and Donte DiVencenzo were the key parts coming to the Timberwolves from the Knicks.
There is a realistic chance these two teams could be competing for the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the next few weeks.
The Knicks acquired Towns and the draft rights to James Nnaji from Charlotte. Minnesota landed Randle, DiVencenzo, Keita Bates-Diop, and a future first-round draft pick from the Knicks (by way of Detroit). Charlotte received Charlie Brown, DaQuan Jefferies, Duane Washington Jr., two future first round picks from the Knicks, a second-round pick from Minnesota, and cash.
Minnesota and New York are very strong contenders for an NBA Championship. Charlotte now has assets to facilitate their next rebuild, having last made the playoffs in 2016. You have to go back to when the franchise was the Charlotte Bobcats in 2002 for the last playoff series win.
The comparison between Towns and Randle is striking, even more so in the midst of these playoffs. Randle has been arguably the best player in the playoffs, while Towns was a huge factor in New York’s upset of heavily-favored Boston in the second round. The Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers were pencilled in by many to make the Eastern Conference Finals. Instead we have the Knicks being the favorite as the 3-seed against the 4th-seeded Indiana Pacers, despite the Pacers pulling out a stunning overtime win in Game One.
Randle’s Timberwolves had a dynamic first quarter in Game One of the Western Conference Finals against the league’s top team during the regular season, the Oklahoma City Thunder. Instead, the Thunder rolled to a 114-84 win, despite Randle putting in 28 points and eight rebounds. The 30-year-old Randle has led the Timberwolves in scoring in five of their 11 playoff games, much to the surprise that perennial All-Star Anthony Edwards averaged 27.6 points during the regular season. Edwards has only finished tops in scoring three times for Minnesota in the postseason.
Towns on the other hand only led the Knicks in postseason scoring once, their Game Three win over the Detroit Pistons in the first round. The 29-year-old Towns has led the Knicks in rebounding eight times, with all eight being in double digits.
Remember that Towns and Randle were both top 10 picks in back-to-back drafts. Randle was the seventh overall pick by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2014, while Towns was the top overall pick by the Timberwolves in 2015. Both were one-and-done players at the basketball vocational school more commonly known as the University of Kentucky.
Towns is locked into New York for the next few seasons, as he is in the first year of a four-year, $220.4 million extension signed with the Timberwolves, and has a player option in the summer of 2028. Randle has a $30.9 million player option for next year, his final year of a four-year $117 million extension that was signed with the Knicks in the summer of 2022. Randle is an unrestricted free agent next summer, should he come back for another year in Minnesota without an extension.
Despite both of their Game One losses, the Knicks and Timberwolves are fully capable of winning their respective series. Minnesota has never made the NBA Finals, while the Knicks are looking for their first championship since 1973, and their first Finals appearance since 1999. Oklahoma City last made the Finals in 2012, which ended up being LeBron James’ first championship, and Indiana’s only trip in 2000 resulted in Kobe Bryant’s first championship.
Charlotte received pieces and draft picks to aid in restocking their shelves, and were the sacrificial lamb of the trade. Typically when two teams swap high-priced talent, you see one excel and the other need a year or two to adjust. To see the Knicks and Timberwolves both flourish in year one of this blockbuster deal proves that you do not always need the best players, just the right ones.
All credit to Herb Brooks for that one…
The Hornets are the team that will need time to see if the assets received materialize. Ask the Houston Texans of the NFL how the assets they received in the Deshaun Watson trade from Cleveland worked out. Ask the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers about the return on investment after trading Wayne Gretzky. This is why you have to allow at least three years before grading any trade where a superstar is moved for draft capital or prospects.
The Knicks and Timberwolves gave up prospects and draft capital, but have pieces in place where they are not needed for the next several years.
-JC24
All credit to Herb Brooks for that one…
The Hornets are the team that will need time to see if the assets received materialize. Ask the Houston Texans of the NFL how the assets they received in the Deshaun Watson trade from Cleveland worked out. Ask the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers about the return on investment after trading Wayne Gretzky. This is why you have to allow at least three years before grading any trade where a superstar is moved for draft capital or prospects.
The Knicks and Timberwolves gave up prospects and draft capital, but have pieces in place where they are not needed for the next several years.
-JC24