Who won the Knicks-Wolves blockbuster? And how does it impact the NBA’s title picture?

Karl-Anthony Towns is heading to New York, Julius Randle is heading to Minnesota alongside Donte DiVincenzo and a future draft pick, and the NBA is heating up just days before training camps open. Which team won Friday night’s blockbuster trade? Let’s break it down.

1. Who won the Knicks-Wolves trade?

Dan Titus: The Wolves. The Knicks got the best player in the deal (Karl-Anthony Towns), but when evaluating the totality of this trade, Minnesota gets the edge for creating financial flexibility and adding more depth to its roster. Let’s not forget Julius Randle is just two years removed from being an All-NBA player and Donte DiVincenzo was one of the most effective 3-point shooters last season.

Keeping Towns was unrealistic, given the need to retain Naz Reid and Nikeil Alexander-Walker. Netting Randle on an expiring $28 million contract and securing DiVincenzo through the 2026-27 season filled the gap of losing KAT for the short- and long-term. And if the Pistons’ protected first-round pick cashes, that could be another huge asset for the Wolves.

Dan Devine: … Everybody? Nobody?

I keep thinking about Sheriff Jim Hopper’s definition of compromise: “It’s kind of in-between. It’s, like, halfway-happy.” That’s how I imagine a lot of Knicks and Wolves fans feel after a deal that fundamentally changes the identities of two teams with championship aspirations.

The Knicks’ biggest questions heading into this season were how they’d fill their hole in the middle after losing Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency and with Mitchell Robinson still recuperating from foot surgery, and how they’d reintegrate Julius Randle into the fabric of a roster that nearly made the Eastern Conference finals without him. This deal answers the former and renders irrelevant the latter, all while pairing All-NBA point guard Jalen Brunson with an elite 28-year-old stretch big — one whose (admittedly gargantuan) contract runs through 2027-28, lining him up with core pieces Brunson, OG Anunoby, Josh Hart and, one presumes, an extended Mikal Bridges — in an offense that could be one of the NBA’s very best.

Karl-Anthony Towns and…

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Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-09-29 00:30:45

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