The Minnesota Timberwolves made headlines over the weekend after a blockbuster trade with the New York Knicks.
The Timberwolves shocked the basketball world after trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the Eastern Conference. As the season approaches, the NBA community has sounded off on the move.
“Towns was no Dikembe Mutombo, but he and (Rudy) Gobert made up a massive front line that caused real problems for the 2022-23 champion Denver Nuggets,” writes Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey. “Naz Reid can replicate that to a degree, but there's no doubt Minnesota is now slightly less equipped to bother the league's best player, Nikola Jokić.”
“There are positives to sell here, but Minnesota just made the Conference Finals for the first time since 2004. It has a rising superstar in (Anthony) Edwards, who should be at the heart of the Wolves' thinking on every move. And the often ball-dominant (Julius) Randle, with his shaky jump shot, doesn't seem like the kind of player who'll maximize what's happening with Ant in 2024-25.”
Towns was selected No. 1 overall by the Timberwolves in the 2015 NBA Draft. The Kentucky product became a star immediately following his Rookie of the Year campaign. Through nine seasons in Minnesota, the versatile big man averaged 22.9 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.2 blocks.
Despite his impressive stats, the 28-year-old struggled to turn the franchise around after multiple years of mediocrity. Now, the 7-footer finds himself being dealt to the Knicks for Randle, another former Kentucky star.
Towns joins a New York squad many people consider to be a top contender ahead of the season.
Meanwhile, the Timberwolves' new-look roster with Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo slotted in it could be fun to watch, but it will be interesting to see how well the team meshes together.
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