Karl-Anthony Towns is finally on Knick.
After years of infidelity and rumors, four-time All-Star Towns has been traded from Minnesota to New York in a surprising blockbuster deal, sources confirmed to the Post.
The Knicks will trade Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Daquan Jeffries and a lottery-protected first-round pick from the Pistons, officials confirmed.
The Hornets are also involved in a trade, but things are complicated by the Knicks and Timberwolves being over the luxury tax apron.
A senior league official said the trade has been in the works for “some time.”
The shocking turn of events comes as the Knicks are in dire need of a starting center, having lost Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency and Mitchell Robinson recovering from ankle surgery until at least December, and likely longer. It happened when I was there.
It's a risky and expensive gamble for Towns, 28, who is still owed more than $200 million over the next four years.
League sources said the Knicks were attracted to Towns' fit for several reasons.
He is part of a core of players, all under the age of 30 and on long-term contracts.
Towns' offensive skills, including elite 3-point shooting for big men, complement the defensive versatility of OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges.
He is a strong defensive rebounder.
He fills the center need with All-Star ability.
His acquisition presents a potential starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, Bridges, Josh Hart, Anunoby and Towns. This quintet is a formidable group of players who will compete for the title with the Celtics.
Still, Towns doesn't arrive without major concerns.
He has been injured frequently over the past five seasons, was criticized for having a soft personality, and it took him eight years to get past the first round of the playoffs.
Towns played two and a half seasons in Minnesota under current Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau.
Coaches and players have clashed, but Towns told the Post last season that their opinions “hunkered down” in a conversation years ago.
“We've had no issues with Tis. We've been crushing it,” Towns said. “I still consider Thisbus one of the best X and O coaches I ever had the pleasure of playing for. He breathes winning and I have nothing but respect for him. there is no.”
Thibodeau returned the respect.
“When you look at his progression throughout his career, he's just as talented as you could be,” Thibodeau said last season. “When you look at offensive players, especially big players, I think everyone saw his skill set to win 3-point contests and things like that, but there's nothing he can't do offensively. I think he continues to get better. He had some injuries that he had to deal with. I watched him play in FIBA. [the World Cup, for the Dominican Republic]. He played really well there. He's really, really talented. ”
Towns has been linked to the Knicks since his former agent Leon Rose took over the front office in 2020. Towns remains a client of CAA, an agency with close ties to the Knicks.
The Knicks ended up trading Randle, an All-Star who has been one of the most instrumental players in revitalizing the organization over the past few seasons.
He was a three-time All-Star as a starting power forward at New York University, won the Most Valuable Player Award, and was named All-NBA twice.
Just Wednesday, Randle attended a groundbreaking ceremony for a high school in the South Bronx.
He had a court named after him.
He is now considering leaving City without a contract extension and becoming a free agent, possibly next summer.
Some within the Knicks organization viewed Randle as a poor fit next to Brunson as the two ball-dominant players.
Towns plays off-ball and spreads the floor to give Brunson space to drive.
DiVincenzo was a revelation last season and became a fan favorite, hitting the franchise's biggest shot in years with the game-winning 3-pointer in Game 2 against the Sixers.
He will likely come off the bench for the Knicks this season, and his departure, combined with Robinson's slow recovery, creates depth issues in the event of an injury.
Towns, for example, has missed at least 20 games in four of the past five seasons.
He underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in March and subsequently played in 16 postseason games with the Timberwolves.
