It appears that NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns might be transferring to New York, while All-Star Julius Randle could be heading to Minnesota.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are swapping Towns to the New York Knicks in exchange for three-time NBA All-Star forward Karl-Anthony Towns's counterpart, guard Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and a 2025 protected top-13 first-round pick sourced from the Detroit Pistons, as per The Athletic and ESPN's sources.
Towns has spent all nine years of his NBA career in the Twin Cities, averaging 22.9 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game.
The Timberwolves selected Towns from the University of Kentucky, where he was the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
On Friday, Towns hinted at potential changes with a simple ellipsis post on X.
The 28-year-old led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in 20 years last season, only to fall to the Dallas Mavericks in a five-game series.
According to reports, the Charlotte Hornets are helping to facilitate the financial aspects of the deal. The Athletic claims that the Knicks are transferring salary, including guard DaQuan Jeffries, and draft compensation to the Hornets.
CNN has reached out to the Timberwolves, Knicks, and Hornets for comment on the matter.
Randle, a seasoned 10-year veteran, has spent the previous five seasons with the Knicks.
Despite undergoing shoulder surgery in April, which sidelined him for the rest of the season, the 29-year-old managed to average 24 points, 9.2 rebounds, and five assists per game in the 46 games he played.
Hollis-Jefferson broke the Knicks' single-season three-pointer record in his lone season with the team, averaging an impressive 15.5 points per game.
The 2024-25 NBA season kicks off on October 22, with the Timberwolves facing the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
The Knicks, meanwhile, will be going head-to-head with the defending NBA champions, the Boston Celtics, at TD Garden in Boston.
Towns's departure from the Timberwolves leaves a significant void in their team, given his impressive statistics and leadership in sports.The Knicks are not only acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns but also his defensive counterpart in the form of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who showcased his sharp shooting skills during his time with New York.
