Knicks fans can officially stop dreaming about trade reunion after latest report

The Karl-Anthony Towns trade threw New York Knicks fans for a loop, and fans around the NBA were also thrown for a loop as the deal happened a couple of days before training camp.

It was tough for some fans to accept that Julius Randle would be leaving New York after five seasons, but the writing was on the wall after he and the Knicks hadn't agreed to an extension. The biggest surprise of the trade was that Donte DiVincenzo would be going to the Timberwolves with Randle. He spent only one season in New York after signing a four-year contract in 2023 free agency.

The Villanova Knicks are still alive and well, but it's not the same without DiVincenzo. His one season with the Knicks couldn't have gone better than it did. He averaged a career-high 15.5 points on 44.3% shooting from the field and 40.1% from three (another career-best).

A report claimed DiVincenzo wasn't happy in New York and didn't want to come off the bench after the Mikal Bridges trade, but that proved untrue. DiVincenzo said he was looking forward to playing with Bridges. Unfortunately, it didn't happen.

Timberwolves aren't trying to trade former Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo

To say the beginning of DiVincenzo's start in Minnesota has been rocky would be an understatement. He's averaging 9.6 points per game on 35.6% shooting from the field and 33.3% from deep. He doesn't look like the player he was in New York.

DiVincenzo has struggled to the point where a rumor floated around that Minnesota was open to trading him. NBA insider Marc Stein proved otherwise in his latest report (subscription required). Stein wrote:

"I saw all kinds of Twitter chatter Friday about the supposed status of Minnesota’s Donte DiVincenzo as a trade target for contending teams. That runs counter to everything I’ve heard about the Wolves, who wanted DiVincenzo for more than a year before they actually acquired him and are said to have zero interest in fielding inquiries for him not yet three full months into his Wolves tenure."

The rumor led to Knicks fans dreaming about New York acquiring DiVincenzo before the deadline. It was a far-fetched dream from the start. Executing a trade is more challenging for the Knicks as a team over the first tax apron. The team can't receive more money than it sends out.

Would it be nice to have DiVincenzo on the roster again? Absolutely. He's struggled in Minnesota, but you can't write him off after one month with a new team. It's not like he had the offseason to work out with his new teammates.

More than anyone, Knicks fans know what DiVincenzo is capable of. It's unreasonable to assume that he'll return to that player with the Timberwolves, but he'll likely find his stride soon.