Ahead of his return to MSG, Donte DiVincenzo denied a “completely false” rumor that he was upset because he would be benched if the Knicks acquired Mikal Bridges.
“Obviously everyone wants to come back from the season I had last year, but I also understand that teams are going for different lineups and combinations. I understand that. “Yeah, we got Mikal. I was never angry. I was so excited,” DiVincenzo told the Post. “Villanova aside, I was very excited because we have a very good player coming back to the team, and you get O.G. [Anunoby] Go back and now you're thinking, “Wow, we're going to be really good.” There was never any talk that my role would be reduced. There was never a role where my screen time was reduced. It was an external assumption and it was performed accordingly, but it was not true. ”
DiVincenzo, now a member of the Timberwolves after last month's big trade, was pushed into the Knicks' starting lineup last season due to injuries and far exceeded expectations.
He set a franchise record for 3-pointers, led the Eastern Conference with the Treys after December, and was New York's second-leading scorer in the playoffs behind Jalen Brunson.
About a month after the postseason ended, the Knicks used five first-round picks to acquire Bridges from Brooklyn.
This not only strengthens the connection between Villanova and his four Knicks college teammates, but also creates a logjam on the wing as three former Wildcats – Bridges, DiVincenzo and Josh Hart – can start. .
Rogic suggested Bridges would replace DiVincenzo in the lineup, but did not discuss it with the 27-year-old.
“There was no conversation.” [coach Tom Thibodeau.] There was no conversation with [team president] Leon [Rose]” DiVincenzo said. “There was never a conversation where it was like, 'Hey, Michal's here, this is your role.' You don't know until the season starts. So my mind wasn't thinking about that.”
DiVincenzo was “really unhappy” that the guard didn't start for the Knicks after the Karl-Anthony Towns and Julius Randle trade was finalized in late September, and wasn't a fan of the Villanova reunion storyline. It was reported that.
“I don't know how that speed came up, but that's not entirely true. If you look at the team I have now, there will be games where I'll start. There’s going to be a lot of games off the bench,” said DiVincenzo, who is expected to come off the bench for Minnesota. He was behind a guard/wing trio of Mike Conley, Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels.
A bright red-bearded DiVincenzo was back at MSG on Sunday, warming up at the same hoop where he made the Game 2 winner against the Sixers, perhaps the Knicks' biggest shot in more than 20 years.
He was expected to play in Sunday's preseason contest and face the rest of the Knicks, including Bridges, Brunson and Hart.
Earlier this week, GQ magazine published a story and video shoot for the “Nova quartet,” but the theme had to be reworked because the interview took place before the trade.
“It's not weird. We're friends outside of basketball,” DiVincenzo said. “We didn't become friends over basketball and that's the only friendship we have. They're my brothers. Even though we all play on four different teams. , even though we were playing on the same team, I think it was kind of funny timing-wise. But it doesn't change anything about our relationship or anything. Why post it if you haven’t?’ It doesn’t feel weird.”
Because of his sudden transfer right before training camp, DiVincenzo still owns a home in New York and said it was strange to sleep in his usual bed before a road game.
As it turns out, the deal was amazing. But that didn't mean DiVincenzo was dissatisfied with his role.
“I was at home when I heard about this trade, and when it went down, I heard rumors of what was going on. The only thing that made sense to me was the Minnesota (to go),” DiVincenzo said. “At first I didn't want to get traded, so I was kind of upset and hurt. … And my heart immediately went to (the Timberwolves). … It was an easy transition. There was no anger, no madness, nothing like that. Those were the first words I said, “Damn, I got traded.'' Then move on to the next thing. It was all about love. ”
