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The Timberwolves are reportedly trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks

The Timberwolves are reportedly trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks

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Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves watches during the second quarter against the Charlotte Hornets at Target Center on January 22, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota (David Berding/Getty Images)

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The Minnesota Timberwolves open training camp next week and made a blockbuster trade on Friday evening.

According to Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, the Timberwolves are trading Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round pick.

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Why it matters

Towns was selected No. 1 overall by the Timberwolves in 2015 and spent nine seasons in Minnesota. He is the team’s best player alongside Anthony Edwards and one of the faces of the franchise. It appears Towns himself was caught off guard, judging by his reaction on social media Friday night.

Towns helped the Timberwolves to their best regular season in 20 years last season and their first trip to the Western Conference finals in two decades. He is a four-time NBA All-Star and 2015 Rookie of the Year. Last season, he averaged 21.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game, making him one of the best perimeter shooting big men in the league.

Towns begins the first year of a four-year, $220 contract extension this season. The Timberwolves posted a video of Towns practicing at Mayo Clinic Square earlier this week. He never once asked to be traded from Minnesota, despite rumors that he was in the trade for several offseasons. Originally from New Jersey, Towns will now play for former Timberwolves coach Tom Thibodeau and front office boss Gersson Rosas, both of whom work with the Knicks.

What it means

The Timberwolves open training camp next week and will host a media day on Monday. That means Anthony Edwards is the face of the franchise, if he wasn’t already. Randle and DiVincenzo will need to work their way into the rotation and fit in with Rudy Gobert, Mike Conley Jr., Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid.

Tim Connelly continues to show that he is not afraid to take bold steps. He traded five draft picks and four players to the Utah Jazz to get Rudy Gobert, who was named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year for the fourth time last season.

The team has not confirmed Towns’ trade.