Feb 24, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves middle Karl-Anthony Cities (32) reacts to the workforce s win towards the Brooklyn Nets after the sport at Goal Middle. credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports activities Begin spreading the information.
The Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks labored out a commerce late Friday night to ship huge man Karl-Anthony Cities to the New York Knicks in alternate for Julius Randle, Donte Divincenzo and a first-round draft choice from the Detroit Pistons.
The commerce additionally contains the Knicks sending wage, DaQuan Jeffries and draft compensation to the Charlotte Hornets to finish the deal.
Right here’s the factor. What on this planet have been the Minnesota Timberwolves considering?
Minnesota captured the guts of America throughout their run to the Western Convention Finals only a few months in the past. It was a coming-out celebration for Anthony Edwards, because the 23-year-old proved that he actually can change into the face of the NBA.
However that run wasn’t doable with out Cities, who masterfully spaced the ground for an explosive Edwards, and now will probably be heading to the Jap Convention to help Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges, who the Knicks simply acquired by way of commerce earlier this offseason.
Cities was shocked by this information and delivered a cryptic tweet of his personal minutes earlier than Shams Charania broke the information about his commerce.
He by no means requested a commerce away from the Timberwolves, based on stories. The 2015 No. 1 total decide spent 9 seasons in Minnesota and eventually noticed some success, simply to be shipped away.
The return of Randle and Divincenzo ought to make the Timberwolves deeper. However a entrance courtroom of Randle and Rudy Gobert looks like it is going to be congested and simply doesn’t make a lot sense on paper. The Wolves thrived when Cities, an NBA Three-Level Contest Champion, was spacing the ground. Randle and Gobert paired collectively simply sounds unserious.
Knicks followers have needed to see their workforce discover a strategy to transfer on from Randle for the previous two offseasons. No love misplaced there. New York dropping Divincenzo breaks up the Villanova reunion, however it probably will not be the top of the world, particularly when the return will get you a star middle.
The primary spherical decide from the Pistons is a enjoyable thriller field added to this transfer. It’s already being referred to as the profitable facet of this commerce.
However the Pistons must be higher. They’ve spent years as backside feeders and have hoarded some enjoyable, younger expertise, together with Cade Cunningham, Jalen Duren, Jaden Ivey and Ron Holland. They additionally simply employed J.B. Bickerstaff straight after his departure from the Cleveland Cavaliers. He’s recognized for turning loser franchises round. No one’s saying the Pistons will probably be within the NBA Playoffs, however it’s not a layup that they are going to be within the dialog for the No. 1 total decide.
And why would the Timberwolves need the No. 1 total decide? You have been simply so shut. You have been nearer than you’ve ever been earlier than.
The five-game sequence towards the Dallas Mavericks within the convention finals was not enjoyable, however it gave gamers like Edwards and Cities useful expertise about competing towards a participant like Luka Doncic.
Doncic would go on to be defeated towards the Boston Celtics within the NBA Finals. The Knicks have completely reloaded and will probably be one of many greatest forces within the Jap Convention set to dethrone Boston.
They usually’ll be doing so with Cities, who, on paper, they have been in a position to pry away fairly simply.