It was a regular Friday night, one of the last few until the start of the 2024-25 NBA season. New York Knicks fans were enjoying a peaceful evening. Out of nowhere, The Athletic's Shams Charania tweeted that the Timberwolves "were nearing" a trade to send Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks (subscription required).
New York sent Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a protected first-round pick (via Detroit) to Minnesota in the deal. The Knicks will reportedly sign-and-trade DaQuan Jeffries to the Hornets to make the deal work per the collective bargaining agreement.
KAT couldn't escape the New York rumors. The Jersey native is returning to the East Coast. Some Knicks fans are excited about that, while others are still processing the deal. Randle is gone after five seasons. DiVincenzo is gone after one season that was the best of his career. The Villanova Knicks (including Mikal Bridges) didn't play in a game together.
Including Randle in the trade shouldn't have come as a complete shock, considering he became extension-eligible on Aug. 3. It didn't seem like he and New York would agree to a contract. Jake Fischer reported after the trade broke that the Knicks made it known Randle was available when they explored the trade market for centers this week after the Mitchell Robinson injury news.
Including DiVincenzo in the deal was a complete shock. Fans are almost more upset about his loss than Randle's. Why would Leon Rose trade DiVo? Based on what Ian Begley of SNY reported, the deal went through because of DiVincenzo.
"This was a deal that wouldn't happen without Donte DiVincenzo, I'm told"@IanBegley joins @ChelseaSherrod on @Honda SportsNite to discuss how the trade for Karl-Anthony Towns came about, why the deal happened now, KAT's reunion with Tom Thibodeau https://t.co/K3IRi0PUIy pic.twitter.com/wqC1IKFX4Q
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) September 28, 2024
Knicks-Timberwolves trade happened because of Donte DiVincenzo
Begley said New York initially didn't want to include DiVincenzo in the trade, but Minnesota's interest heightened because of the guard. If the Knicks refused to send DiVo to the Timberwolves, he and Randle might still be in New York.
Social media has been abuzz with a rumor that DiVincenzo was "unhappy" in New York and that the front office worried his displeasure could become a more significant issue. That rumor conflicts with Begley's report that the Knicks initially didn't want to include DiVo in the deal. It's impossible to know what's true, especially for a tight-lipped organization like New York.
It is true that DiVincenzo and Randle will soon be on their way to Minneapolis. It's hard to accept that. It will be weird to see that duo in Minnesota jerseys at Media Day on Monday and even more bizarre to see KAT in a New York jersey.
DiVincenzo's one year with the Knicks will be looked back on with fondness, particularly his big shot against the Sixers in the playoffs. His time in New York was short and sweet.