Former Minnesota Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns could not find the right words to say but felt "shocked" after being traded to the New York Knicks in a blockbuster deal that roped in Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and several other assets.
After spending nine consecutive years with the Timberwolves, Towns is set to face new challenges in the Big Apple. Do the Knicks, however, win this trade or not?
'Shocked' Beyond Being Traded to Wolves
(Photo : Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
When asked about the trade, Towns seemed stunned. "Shocked." But despite the surprise, Towns is thrilled to be reuniting with Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau, who coached him in Minnesota. It may make his eventual integration into the Knicks' lineup much smoother and speed up his assimilation into the team.
KAT with a message to Minnesota, being “shocked” and now being close to home. pic.twitter.com/5fCqOQGPPl
— James L. Edwards III (@JLEdwardsIII) October 3, 2024
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Who Are the Knicks Big Five Now?
Towns becomes part of a Knicks team with a talented starting five composed of Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby.
With one of the five accomplished in shooting three-pointers, the possibility opens for the Knicks to have a potent lineup in spacing out the floor and opening driving lanes for Brunson, according to ESPN. This will be crucial for establishing such floor spacing needed for Towns to thrive in this new role.
Towns turns 28 on January 15 and has played a slightly different role on offense in the past couple of years as Anthony Edwards and Minnesota have figured out where the real superstar lies. But the big man was back solid last season, averaging 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. He shot an impressive 50.4% from the field and a very good 41.6% from three, good for his fourth All-Star appearance.
In New York, Towns will be the second role of accessible offense. With Brunson's stability, he and Towns will be lethal on the pick-and-pop to think for the Knicks.
Did the Knicks Win the Towns' Trade or Not?
Town will certainly bring a good amount of offense, though his defense is a problem at times. That could be an issue since Thibodeau's system is pretty defensive-minded. But Hart, Bridges, and Anunoby alone on the D-end to counter his own shortcomings on the defensive end should counter any issues.
The second issue, though, as Bleacher Report writes, is the Knicks' lack of players for bench depth. They are very bare up on the bench with Miles McBride, Cameron Payne, Landry Shamet, Precious Achiuwa, rookie Pacôme Dadiet, and Jericho Sims. Of course, even with a weak second unit, the Knicks are going to bet that their starting five will be good enough to get them by.
It appears the Knicks are all in this season to put an end to their 40-year championship drought. Towns and Bridges should help reboot New York's optimism about the team's potential.
Of course, this is still Brunson's team, and adding Towns to the life just made him a supporting actor behind the star point guard. Either way, Towns needs to prove why he's worth every penny for the Knicks.
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