Karl-Anthony Towns posted a poignant photo of him with his father making his final shot at the Minnesota Timberwolves practice facility in the early hours of Saturday, September 28, after his stunning trade to the New York Knicks.
It was a fitting tribute to the franchise and place that nurtured him over the past nine seasons since he was drafted first overall in 2015.
The Knicks pulled off a blockbuster trade to acquire Towns from Minnesota, per multiple reports, in exchange for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, Keita Bates-Diop and Detroit’s protected first-round pick in a three-team deal that also involves the Charlotte Hornets.
Towns will head home to play for his favorite team he grew up watching from Edison, New Jersey and to people — Leon Rose and William Wesley, to some extent Gerrson Rosas — that he considers extended family.
Rose, the Knicks president, was his former agent at Creative Artists Agency. Wesley, Rose’s close associate, is also a Towns family friend.
Karl Towns Sr. attended Rose’s first game as Knicks president, per SNY’s Ian Begley.
Towns attended the wedding of Wesley’s daughter this summer, according to Knicks Film School’s Kris Pursiainen.
Rosas has forged a strong relationship with Towns during his time as the Timberwolves president which prompted Towns to strongly react after his firing in 2021.
Jon Krawczynski, who broke the news of the blockbuster trade with Shams Charania for The Athletic, pointed to Rosas as one of the prime movers behind this trade.
Karl-Anthony Towns-Tom Thibodeau Reunion
Towns is also reunited with Tom Thibodeau, who guided him to his first All-Star season and first playoff berth in 2018.
However, Towns had differences with Thibodeau’s demanding style.
While the two did not meet eye to eye in a tumultuous two-plus seasons in Minnesota, both men said they have patched things up.
“Two men grown men got together and had a conversation,” Towns said in October via New York Post. “It was done. It was done years ago.”
In 2022, The Athletic reported that Towns pulled Thibodeau aside after a Timberwolves-Knicks games.
“I said, ‘I just want to let you know I forgive you.’ There’s no bad blood. One day, let’s just go get dinner. Let’s just chill. We don’t have to worry about the business side. Let’s just work on our relationship,” Towns told The Athletic in January 2022.
Will their odd pairing be sweeter the second time around?
Best Shooting Big Man Solves Knicks Biggest Concern
Towns solve the Knicks’ most glaring need at center following Isaiah Hartenstein’s departure in free agency and with Mitchell Robinson out until December or January to recover from his ankle surgery.
A four-time NBA All-Star and a two-time All-NBA player, Towns if the floor-spacing big man that on paper, is a seamless fit to the Knicks core of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart.
Hartenstein thrived last season as Brunson’s pick-and-roll partner. Towns will not only thrive but he is expected to dominate and complement Brunson because has more range that can also make him a pick-and-pop partner. A 39.8% 3-point shooter, Towns is the best shooting big man in the association.
With Towns at center, the Knicks now can match the Boston Celtics’ famous five-out action that spreads the floor.
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