The out-of-nowhere New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves trade is still having major ripple effects on both teams. The preseason trade saw the Knicks trade Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle to acquire Karl-Anthony Towns and it was seen as a polarizing deal for both teams. Fortunately for the Knicks, they have gotten the better end of the deal thus far.
Karl-Anthony Towns is having one of the most impactful seasons of his career after the surprise trade to New York.
— BBall Index (@The_BBall_Index) December 5, 2024
KAT is fitting right in with the Knicks by impacting the game in multiple ways — Offensive Rebounding, Catch & Shoot Shot Making, Playmaking, and Efficiency to name… pic.twitter.com/juaSd497tV
The Timberwolves are currently the 8th-best team in the Western Conference and appear far worse without Towns this season. Their defense has dropped from first last season to sixth while their offense is three points worse per 100 possessions compared to last year. Part of that has to do with Julius Randle being a less efficient offensive player who doesn't space the floor nearly as much as Towns did.
Additionally, Donte DiVincenzo who was expected to bolster Minnesota's bench as a prolific 3-point shooter, has been awful and ranks among the most disappointing NBA players this season.
On the other hand, the Knicks are the fourth-best team in the Eastern Conference and sport the best offensive rating in the NBA. Be that as it may, they have struggled on defense with Towns who ranks among the worst rim protectors in the league.
That tradeoff may work in the regular season with the Knicks able to blow the doors off teams on most nights. However, when the game slows down in the playoffs, if their defense doesn't improve then they could face serious problems. Nevertheless, they are far better positioned for postseason success than the Wolves are.
New York Knicks are winning the Karl-Anthony Towns trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The reason for doing the trade may have been different for the Wolves than it was for the Knicks. Towns' contract is massive and turning those four remaining years into two players; one on an expiring contract and the other on a cheap deal with two years remaining was a wise move in theory.
However, the Wolves may opt to let Randle leave in free agency with Naz Reid being a ready-made replacement, making Randle a potential stopgap. Meanwhile, DiVincenzo was expected to play much better than he has.
With Randle a possible stop-gap and DiVincenzo underperforming, they may not ultimately get much from moving Towns other than flexibility. That would help them long-term, building around Anthony Edwards but may end up being a talent downgrade going from Towns to Randle and DiVincenzo to just DiVincenzo.
For the Knicks part, they won the trade so far, by getting the best player in the deal. He has helped transform their offense and paired with another big man the Knicks defense could become passable. If that is the case then the Knicks could ultimately go deep in the playoffs and are certainly talented enough to go to the NBA Finals after acquiring Towns. That makes them clear trade winners.