Karl-Anthony Towns Says He's 'Still Stunned' About Trade from T-Wolves to Knicks
Time hasn't done much to take away the shock Karl-Anthony Towns feels about being traded by the Minnesota Timberwolves to the New York Knicks.
After helping his current team beat his former team on Wednesday night, Towns told reporters he is "still stunned" about the October 2024 deal that sent him to the Knicks.
"I feel more like a Knick now after everything we went through last year, but it's weird to see that Wolves jersey—especially the fire black one—and not see 'Towns' on the back of it," Towns said.
The Knicks cruised to a 137-114 win over Minnesota in Towns' second game against his former team. He put up 15 points and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes.
Towns spent the first six seasons of his career as the face of the franchise for Minnesota basketball. Anthony Edwards' arrival with the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NBA draft gave him a high-profile running mate and changed the fortunes for the organization.
After the Timberwolves reached the Western Conference Finals during the 2023-24 season, it seemed like they were in position to maintain their core with Edwards, Towns and Rudy Gobert for the foreseeable future.
Instead, the Wolves pulled off a stunner by trading Towns to New York three weeks before the start of the 2024-25 campaign. The Knicks sent Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round draft pick to Minnesota as part of a three-team deal that also included the Charlotte Hornets.
Minnesota head coach Chris Finch said the deal wasn't motivated by the team being in the second apron, but the club was on track to potentially have its 2032 first-round pick fall to the end of the round because of penalties for exceeding the apron in three consecutive seasons.
The initial returns for the trade turned into a win-win for each side. The Timberwolves and Knicks both made the conference finals last season.
It's not a surprise Towns would continue to have a soft spot for Minnesota. He spent the first nine years of his career with the organization, making four All-Star teams.
Towns ranks second to Kevin Garnett in Timberwolves' history in points, rebounds, blocks, field goals and minutes played.
These two teams will play one more time in the regular season when the Knicks visit the Timberwolves at the Target Center on Dec. 23.
