It’s now official that Karl-Anthony Towns is no longer with the Minnesota Timberwolves after a blockbuster three-team trade that involved the New York Knicks and Charlotte Hornets. He will now join the Knicks, while Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle head to the Timberwolves.
Fans of both sides can now relax as the major deal was officially announced on Wednesday. Upon official confirmation, Karl-Anthony Towns took to social media to thank the Minnesota fans in a heartfelt post, which was accompanied by a video.
Nine years ago, I arrived in Minnesota as a young man with a dream. Little did I know that this place would become my home, and its people would become my family… To the incredible fans, your support has meant the world to me… I’ll never forget it… You’ll always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for everything.
Karl-Anthony Towns wrote on X
The Minnesota Timberwolves also wished him well on their official channel on X. His time with the franchise began when he was selected with the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, and he spent nine good seasons with the team.
He had made an immediate impact by being named the 2015-16 Rookie of the Year and didn’t miss a single game for his first three seasons. Also, with the T-Wolves, he became a four-time All-Star and played a key role in ending the franchise’s 13-year playoff drought in 2018, as well as their run to the Western Conference finals in 2024.
Knicks completes Karl-Anthony Towns trade using loophole in CBA
Fans of the Knicks were scared that the deal to bring in Karl-Anthony Towns would fall through due to complexities surrounding the league’s CBA. This agreement made large trades like this challenging, as both teams needed to coordinate additional pieces to comply with the CBA’s rules.
However, according to The Athletic’s Fred Katz, the Knicks became the first team to exploit a loophole in the CBA. They did this when they legally combined multiple salaries and paid three players just one dollar over the league minimum.
The Knicks have discovered a new loophole in the CBA. Teams in their situation cannot aggregate minimums anymore. So in the sign and trades of Jeffries, Brown and Washington, they are paying each of those guys just $1 above the minimum, league sources tell.
Fred Katz wrote on X
Now it’s all over. The Knicks have finally gotten their missing piece of the puzzle, after failing to land him on draft night.
Fans will eagerly anticipate his emotional return to Minnesota when the Knicks visit the Timberwolves at the Target Center.
