The Minnesota Timberwolves have confirmed that they are trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks. According to a source, the Timberwolves will receive Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in the deal, along with a first-round draft pick.
Towns, who was selected first overall by the Timberwolves in the 2015 NBA Draft, has spent his entire career with the team. He expressed his thoughts on the trade in a post on X Friday evening.
As he returns to his roots in New Jersey, he will also reunite with coach Tom Thibodeau, under whom he played for 2.5 seasons in Minnesota. Earlier this month, CBS Sports ranked Towns as the 38th best player in the league ahead of the 2024-25 season, citing his status as a four-time All-Star.
Despite recovering from a torn meniscus sustained in March, Towns averaged over 21 points and eight rebounds per game last season.
In exchange, the Timberwolves are acquiring a three-time All-Star in Randle and the sharpshooting DiVincenzo. Randle was drafted seventh overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2014 but has spent the past five seasons with the Knicks, where he averaged 24 points and over nine rebounds last season before undergoing shoulder surgery.
DiVincenzo, a 2018 first-round draft pick, has played for several teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks and the Knicks. He shot over 40% from beyond the arc last season in New York.
The Timberwolves come off a successful season with a record of 56-25, marking their second-best performance in franchise history, culminating in a Western Conference Finals appearance. Their first preseason game is scheduled for October 4 against the Lakers, with the regular season starting on October 22.
Towns’ first game back at the Target Center will be on December 19 when the Timberwolves host the Knicks.