Ben Degani
Donte DiVincenzo in his new Minnesota Timberwolves uniform.
I was definitely not expecting to see Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, and unprotected picks traded for Karl Anthony-Towns on my news feed less than a month before the season’s start. This appeared to be a lose-lose trade for both franchises at first. The Timberwolves lost a franchise player in KAT and took a huge blow in their offense as star shooting guard Anthony Edwards now calls all the shots. Meanwhile, the Knicks lose Donte DiVincenzo, a clutch performer who contributed to recent Knicks culture and most importantly, a member of the Villanova boys that would’ve comprised 4/5 of the starting lineup. The “Nova Knicks” were hyped up for the entire offseason after the Knicks traded for small forward Mikal Bridges, who was only a member of the Villanova boys. Everyone was excited to see the most synchronized starting five in the league composed of four best friends from college.
Instead, the Knicks opted for a different route. While this trade hurts the hearts of countless Knicks fans, when examining the trade from an objective perspective, you can see that the Knicks could rival the Celtics. If you recall, I said the Celtics had the best starting five in the league. Brunson, coming off a near MVP season, is looking for revenge after being taken down by the Pacers in the second round. A huge reason for the playoff loss is that the Knicks lacked star power. With this trade, the Knicks sacrificed depth and chemistry for star power and offensive prowess. The New York Knicks are coming off a statement season and have cemented themselves as title contenders, hungry for their first chip in several decades. I believe this trade will be looked back on as a pivotal moment in the franchise's up and down history. Was this the right move? Only time will tell.
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