The New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves finalized a blockbuster commerce on Friday evening involving All-Stars Julius Randle and Karl-Anthony Cities, together with perimeter menace Donte DiVincenzo, in accordance with a number of sources.
New York Knicks have been in a position to commerce Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo after Charlotte Hornets turned the third workforce
The Knicks traded Randle and DiVincenzo to Minnesota for Cities, and the Timberwolves may also obtain a 2025 top-13-protected first-round decide from New York by way of the Detroit Pistons.
In line with ESPN’s Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks, the Charlotte Hornets are the third workforce within the commerce, and they’re anticipated to obtain draft compensation for serving to make the deal work financially.
Since Minnesota was nicely into the second apron and New York was close to the primary one, a 3rd workforce was wanted to make the commerce occur. Charlotte used wage cap exceptions to tackle cash from the Knicks to make the deal authorized.
Due to the apron restrictions for each groups, particulars are nonetheless being labored, sources inform ESPN.
New York is $7.6M beneath the second apron.
Minnesota can’t take again more cash in a commerce.
One title not concerned is Deuce McBride, in accordance with sources.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) September 28, 2024
New York reportedly pursued Cities after the Hornets entered negotiations because the third workforce. Commerce talks additionally adopted the workforce’s announcement that middle Mitchell Robinson would miss the beginning of the 2024-25 season resulting from offseason ankle surgical procedure.
After Cities arrived again in Minnesota for the beginning of coaching camp subsequent week, the two-time All-NBA member instructed a supply near him that the commerce was “fully surprising,” per ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne.
Karl-Anthony Cities helped Minnesota Timberwolves attain Western Convention finals final season for first time in 20 years
Karl-Anthony Cities, who turns 29 on Nov. 15, grew up simply exterior of New York Metropolis in central New Jersey. Final season in Minnesota, he averaged 21.8 factors and eight.3 rebounds in 62 video games (all begins), whereas capturing 50.4% from the sphere and 41.6% from 3-point vary.
The 7-footer was the No. 1 decide within the 2015 NBA draft. He helped Minnesota advance within the playoffs for the second time within the franchise’s 35-year historical past. The Wolves additionally made the Western Convention finals for the primary time in 20 years.
Cities, after all, is from New Jersey and was represented by Knicks President Leon Rose. There’s plenty of homecoming to this story, however Cities was within the health club at this time in Minnesota getting ready to construct off final season’s WC Finals run.
— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) September 28, 2024
Cities can be within the first season of the four-year, $220 million supermax extension he signed in 2022. The Kentucky product is ready to reunite with Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau, whom he performed underneath in Minnesota (2016 to 2019).
Randle, who turns 30 in December, averaged 24.2 factors, 9.2 rebounds, and 5.0 assists for New York final season in 46 video games earlier than struggling a dislocated proper shoulder on Jan. 27.
Knicks, Julius Randle had not made progress on a contract extension
Following two months of rehab, the star ahead opted to endure season-ending surgical procedure in April. Randle has spent the summer season rehabilitating and was anticipated to be prepared for the beginning of coaching camp, per The Athletic.
Randle has $28.9 million on his contract for this coming season and a $30.9 million participant possibility for 2025-26. He and the Knicks had not made progress on a contract extension this summer season. That in the end led to the commerce, per ESPN’s Shelburne.
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch beforehand coached Randle in New Orleans, when Finch was a Pelicans assistant coach in 2018-19. Finch appears ahead to teaching him in Minnesota, sources stated.
DiVincenzo, 27, signed a four-year free agent take care of the Knicks final summer season. Within the 2023-24 season, he averaged a career-high 15.5 factors and shot a career-best 40.1% from deep. He made a career-high 283 3-pointers as nicely.
Knicks now maintain third-best odds to win NBA championship
In line with a number of sportsbooks, the Knicks’ odds to win the 2025 NBA championship moved from +900 to +750. Nonetheless, they nonetheless have decrease odds than the Boston Celtics (+320) and Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder (+700).
At ESPN BET, the Knicks entered Friday at +800 to win the NBA title this season. After the commerce, these odds moved to +700, behind solely the Celtics (+340) and the Thunder (+650).
The Knicks and Timberwolves are scheduled to play a preseason recreation in New York on Oct. 13. They play the primary of two regular-season contests in opposition to one another Dec. 19 in Minneapolis.
