Karl-Anthony Towns Reacts to Trade to the New York Knicks

Karl-Anthony Towns disclosed that he was informed of his trade to the New York Knicks just four minutes before the news was publicly reported by NBA insider Shams Charania. During an episode of ‘The Roommates Show‘ podcast, hosted by Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, Towns shared his emotions surrounding the trade, highlighting that he learned the news in person from Minnesota Timberwolves’ president of basketball operations, Tim Connelly.

The blockbuster deal, which was publicized by Charania at around 10:30 PM on September 27, saw Towns heading to the Knicks, while Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo joined the Timberwolves. Charania’s announcement on social media read, “Knicks have acquired Karl-Anthony Towns from Minnesota for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round pick via Detroit.”

Towns expressed mixed emotions about the trade, noting the personal touch of being informed directly by Connelly, despite the unexpected nature of the news. “Honestly, it’s a tough situation regardless of what would’ve happened, but the fact that happened that way, I’ve got to give him respect,” Towns commented during the podcast.

Connelly, speaking at an introductory press event for Randle, DiVincenzo, and Keita Bates-Diop, described the difficulty of the decision, stating, “The whole idea of trading people I think is pretty gross and weird, and it’s hard to get players of this caliber, so to ensure to do that, we had to give up one of the best players to ever put on a Timberwolves jersey.” He praised Towns as both a player and a person, adding that he will be missed in Minnesota.

Towns’ trade marks the end of an era as he spent the first nine seasons of his NBA career with the Timberwolves, averaging 22.9 points and 10.8 rebounds. He was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft and gained Rookie of the Year honors, followed by four All-Star selections.

Looking ahead, Towns is set to make his Knicks debut in a regular-season game against the Boston Celtics. He is scheduled to reunite with the Timberwolves twice in the upcoming season, with a return to Minneapolis on December 19 and a home game at Madison Square Garden on January 17.