Karl-Anthony Towns' former Timberwolves teammate endorses Knicks trade

The New York Knicks front office has received a lot of criticism in the past few days because of the Karl-Anthony Towns trade. Many believe the front office's decision will set the organization back rather than propel it forward.

The Knicks sent the Timberwolves one first-round pick, and it's protected. However, New York didn't get by without sending Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.

Shams Charania reported that the Knicks offered the Timberwolves a package of Randle and Mitchell Robinson on draft night, but the Timberwolves turned it down. New York and Minnesota re-visited trade talks throughout the offseason but didn't gain traction until DiVincenzo.

As hard as it is to lose Randle and DiVincenzo, the Knicks' offense will significantly benefit from having Towns in the lineup. If he can stay healthy, KAT could have a career year. One of his former Minnesota teammates thinks that Towns will exceed expectations in New York and earn an All-Star nod.

D'Angelo Russell thinks Karl-Anthony Towns will be an All-Star with Knicks

Russell played in Minnesota from 2020 to 2023 before being traded to the Lakers before the 2023 deadline. Towns and the Knicks don't need Russell's seal of approval, but the tweet was a nice gesture, mainly because it could come true.

Towns has been an All-Star several times: 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2024. He won the All-Star Three-Point Contest in 2022. If he's named an All-Star in 2025, it will be the second time he's earned the honor in consecutive seasons.

Randle and Jalen Brunson were named All-Stars last year, but Randle couldn't participate because of his dislocated shoulder. It was meaningful to see Brunson at his first All-Star Weekend, and it would be a treat for Knicks fans to see their star point guard and center in San Francisco together in 2025.

Towns is working on acclimating to his new team in New York. The Knicks announced the trade on Wednesday, and KAT's first practice with the team was on Thursday at training camp. New York's first preseason game is on Sunday. Towns will have three weeks of being a Knick under his belt by the time the regular season starts.

It's too early to say what KAT will or won't be in New York. It's way too early to say that the Knicks lost the trade. Leon Rose has been criticized for his previous decisions. Look at how the Brunson criticism turned out. Write off Towns and the Knicks at your own risk.