Reports: Knicks acquire Karl-Anthony Towns in three-team deal

Karl-Anthony Towns and Julius Randle are reportedly moving to new teams on the eve of training camp.

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With most of the league's training camps opening on Monday, reports surfaced late Friday that the Knicks had made a big move ahead of the annual preseason tipoff:

Per Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, New York signed All-Star standout Karl-Anthony Towns and sent forward Julius Randle, guard Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round pick (via Detroit) to the Timberwolves.

Knicks acquired Karl-Anthony Towns from Minnesota via Detroit for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round pick, sources tell me and @JonKrawczynski. pic.twitter.com/FafQlY48Y1

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 28, 2024

The Hornets soon emerged as a supposedly crucial third team in the deal, trading for DaQuan Jeffries and draft compensation to help factor in the cap implications of having two “frontcourt” teams in play.

Towns, a four-time All-Star entering his 10th season, has never indicated that he is unhappy with the team that drafted him first overall in 2015, despite several lean years before reaching the Western Conference finals last spring has selected.

Towns is active in the Twin Cities community, willing to cede the alpha role to young star Anthony Edwards and didn't mind moving to a power forward role after taking over for center Rudy Gobert two years ago. Towns didn't seem to be expecting this move three days before training camp began. The advantage for the 7-footer is a return to his roots, as he grew up in New Jersey.

One thing needs to be made clear tonight: KAT did not request this trade. He has never applied to move here in nine years.

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) September 28, 2024

The Wolves are getting an All-Star power forward in Randle, a sharpshooter who is having a career-best season in DiVincenzo, and a first-rounder to offset some of the draft picks they sent to Utah in exchange for Gobert have.

Minnesota President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly was never afraid to make a bold move, as he proved by achieving great success in the Gobert deal – on and off the court. This could be even bigger as the Wolves prepare for the challenge of moving two steps further in the playoffs while the best Western Conference teams around them show no signs of slowing down.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.