Wednesday marks the 140 days since the Knicks shook the fanbase and sent Lightning Bolts to the league the night before training camp. It all feels pretty cute when you consider the way Luka Don Anthony Davis swaps moved the world of basketball two weeks ago.
Still, the deal that sent Julius Randle and Donte Divinsenzo to Minnesota for the Knicks and brought the town of Karl Anthony here has already brought many concrete rewards. And if the Knicks climb higher than their perceived ceiling this year, it is the broader impact of that contract that will ultimately lead them there.
There is no doubt that the Knicks have made trade better. The overall number of towns is better than Randle, and no one may display more than the Towns player efficiency rating, which is 25.0 in 49 games. Randle is 17.2 and he is struggling to establish his role with the Timberwolves.
Divincenzo extended his shooting early in the season, but he was starting to get hot before he got off with a toe injury a month ago, but he was still only filming 37%. He made it last year as Nick. More than his shooting, it was his toughness, especially in the playoffs, that made Divincenzo so popular amongst his yard regulars. And this time you'll want to know what the Knicks can do.
