TOWNS TO THE KNICKS IN 3-TEAM TRADE!

In a three-team trade, the New York Knicks acquired center/forward Karl-Anthony Towns from the Minnesota Timberwolves, and center James Nnaji from the Charlotte Hornets; Minnesota acquired guard Donte DiVincenzo, forwards Julius Randle and Keita Bates-Diop and a protected first-round draft pick in 2025 from the Knicks; and Charlotte acquired forwards DaQuan Jeffries and Charlie Brown Jr., guard Duane Washington Jr., a second-round draft pick in 2026, a second-round draft pick in 2031 and cash from the Knicks, and a conditional second-round draft pick in 2025 from the Timberwolves.

What does it give the New York Knicks
With center Mitchell Robinson injured (again), the Knicks felt compelled to make a move for another center. Enter Towns, one of the best in the league. His arrival could really boost New York in their quest to overtake Boston in the Atlantic Division. That said, the Knicks may struggle early on in 2024-25 as Towns gets acclimated to his new surroundings and teammates. Long term, they should win this trade.

What does it give the Minnesota Timberwolves
By moving Towns here, Minny is essentially saying that their two-center experiment did not work. Towns is probably a better fit as a center than power forward, but Rudy Gobert's presence in Minny made on-court chemistry an issue for the team. Randle is a natural power forward (and scorer), so on paper he could be a much better fit next to Gobert. DiVincenzo adds quality guard depth to the T'wolves. Bates-Diop is a throw-in here.

What does it give the Charlotte Hornets
In order for this big trade to work, the Knicks needed to shed salary for the purpose of taking on Towns' contract. Therefore, the Hornets were included. Jeffries, Brown Jr. and Washington Jr. are all journeymen with modest talent and upside. The Hornets may not keep them all (unless they feel they need them for depth purposes this season). The draft pick compensation is the key to this trade from a Charlotte perspective.

Fantasy impact
Towns becomes a better fantasy option with the move to New York, although he might lose power forward eligibility in some league formats. DiVincenzo's role in Minnesota may not be as defined as it was in New York, so there is a chance that his stock may dip a bit. As for Randle, it is all about health in his case. If he can stay on the court, he should bounce back and hold positive fantasy value throughout 2024-25. Bates-Diop, Jeffries, Brown Jr. and Washington Jr. have zero value at this time.