Knicks Trade Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo to Timberwolves for Karl-Anthony Towns

The New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves finalized a blockbuster trade on Friday night involving All-Stars Julius Randle and Karl-Anthony Towns, along with perimeter threat Donte DiVincenzo, according to multiple sources.

New York Knicks were able to trade Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo after Charlotte Hornets became the third team

The Knicks traded Randle and DiVincenzo to Minnesota for Towns, and the Timberwolves will also receive a 2025 top-13-protected first-round pick from New York via the Detroit Pistons.

According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks, the Charlotte Hornets are the third team in the trade, and they are expected to receive draft compensation for helping make the deal work financially.

Since Minnesota was well into the second apron and New York was near the first one, a third team was needed to make the trade happen. Charlotte used salary cap exceptions to take on money from the Knicks to make the deal legal.

Because of the apron restrictions for both teams, details are still being worked, sources tell ESPN.

New York is $7.6M below the second apron.

Minnesota cannot take back more money in a trade.

One name not involved is Deuce McBride, according to sources. https://t.co/LlAfarnvQ1

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) September 28, 2024

New York reportedly pursued Towns after the Hornets entered negotiations as the third team. Trade talks also followed the team’s announcement that center Mitchell Robinson would miss the start of the 2024-25 season due to offseason ankle surgery.

After Towns arrived back in Minnesota for the start of training camp next week, the two-time All-NBA member told a source close to him that the trade was “completely unexpected,” per ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.

Karl-Anthony Towns helped Minnesota Timberwolves reach Western Conference finals last season for first time in 20 years

Karl-Anthony Towns, who turns 29 on Nov. 15, grew up just outside of New York City in central New Jersey. Last season in Minnesota, he averaged 21.8 points and 8.3 rebounds in 62 games (all starts), while shooting 50.4% from the field and 41.6% from 3-point range.

The 7-footer was the No. 1 pick in the 2015 NBA draft. He helped Minnesota advance in the playoffs for the second time in the franchise’s 35-year history. The Wolves also made the Western Conference finals for the first time in 20 years.

Towns, of course, is from New Jersey and used to be represented by Knicks President Leon Rose. There’s a lot of homecoming to this story, but Towns was in the gym today in Minnesota preparing to build off last season’s WC Finals run.

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) September 28, 2024

Towns is also in the first season of the four-year, $220 million supermax extension he signed in 2022. The Kentucky product is set to reunite with Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, whom he played under in Minnesota (2016 to 2019).

Randle, who turns 30 in December, averaged 24.2 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists for New York last season in 46 games before suffering a dislocated right shoulder on Jan. 27.

Knicks, Julius Randle had not made progress on a contract extension

Following two months of rehab, the star forward opted to undergo season-ending surgery in April. Randle has spent the summer rehabilitating and was expected to be ready for the start of training camp, per The Athletic.

Randle has $28.9 million on his contract for this coming season and a $30.9 million player option for 2025-26. He and the Knicks had not made progress on a contract extension this summer. That ultimately led to the trade, per ESPN’s Shelburne.

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch previously coached Randle in New Orleans, when Finch was a Pelicans assistant coach in 2018-19. Finch looks forward to coaching him in Minnesota, sources said.

DiVincenzo, 27, signed a four-year free agent deal with the Knicks last summer. In the 2023-24 season, he averaged a career-high 15.5 points and shot a career-best 40.1% from deep. He made a career-high 283 3-pointers as well.

Knicks now hold third-best odds to win NBA championship

According to multiple sportsbooks, the Knicks’ odds to win the 2025 NBA championship moved from +900 to +750. However, they still have lower odds than the Boston Celtics (+320) and Oklahoma City Thunder (+700).

At ESPN BET, the Knicks entered Friday at +800 to win the NBA title this season. After the trade, those odds moved to +700, behind only the Celtics (+340) and the Thunder (+650).

The Knicks and Timberwolves are scheduled to play a preseason game in New York on Oct. 13. They play the first of two regular-season contests against each other Dec. 19 in Minneapolis.