Since the moment their season ended, speculation and uncertainty throughout the Wolves’ organization. From roster questions to ownership change — Tim Connelly’s expiring contract and, of course, a wild Kevin Durant goose chase, there’s been a lot happening.

The New York Knicks even called trying to smuggle Chris Finch out of Minnesota, not that long ago, after they shockingly fired Tom Thibodeau — who had just led the Knickerbockers to their first East Finals since the Y2K.

Of course, the Wolves denied New York’s request to interview their head coach, but they won’t be able to do the same with their top assistant, Micah Nori. If you’ll remember, Nori was listed by The Athletic as a possible candidate for the Knicks’ head coaching job, when it first came available.

New York Knicks move from interested to interviewing Micah Nori

That was before they started calling around on every big name head coach already employed around the league, a plan that did not bear any fruit. So now, the Knicks are being forced to seriously consider more realistic candidates, like Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori.

According to Shams Charania (ESPN) the New York Knicks have officially made Nori the third candidate to interview for their vacant head coaching job. The other two are veteran NBA head coach Mike Brown and former Grizzlies head coach (2019-2025), Taylor Jenkins.

The New York Knicks are interviewing Minnesota Timberwolves assistant Micah Nori for the team's head coaching job, sources tell ESPN. Now three candidates – Nori and two former head coaches Mike Brown and Taylor Jenkins – have done formal interviews for the Knicks' vacancy.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 24, 2025

Micah Nori started his NBA coaching career as an assistant with the Toronto Raptors (2009-2013) before landing in Sacramento from 2013-2021. It wasn’t until 2021 when Nori first linked up with Tim Connelly in Denver, before following him to Minnesota that offseason.

This isn’t the first time Nori has been linked to head coaching jobs around the NBA. Nori interviewed with the Cleveland Cavaliers last June. The LA Lakers also showed interest in May, 2024, before they eventually hired JJ Redick. In other words, even if it doesn’t happen this time around, Nori’s time as an assistant appears to be limited.

Minnesota Timberwolves offseason in flux…

Naz Reid and Julius Randle have player options they’re mulling. Both could very-well opt out. Nickeil Alexander-Walker is due to hit unrestricted free agency, as well.

Nobody is quite sure what will happen with those three, probably because we’ve spent most of the last two weeks trying to figure out if the Minnesota Timberwolves roster would be blown up by a Kevin Durant trade that never materialized.

Related: Local Insider Scoops Timberwolves Plan for Multiple Key Contributors This Offseason

And let’s also not forget that president of basketball operations, Tim Connelly, still isn’t under contract beyond this summer. Of course, that will likely change shortly after the team is officially sold to new majority owner Marc Lore, a process that is expected to be completed within the next week.

Now, we can officially add “will Micah Nori be hired by the Knicks” to Minnesota’s list of items currently in flux.

But now, with a new ownership group ready to take over, the organization is trying to take yet another step forward on the court, from a perennial West playoff team and top conference contender, to NBA Finals winner.

How exactly the Wolves make that happen is up to president of basketball operations, Tim Connelly, who’s expected to sign a long-term contract extension to stay in Minnesota this offseason. But according to Shams Charania (ESPN), moving on from Chris Finch is not part of Connelly’s summer plans.

Minnesota Timberwolves deny New York Knicks request to interview Chris Finch

Because, if it was something Tim Connelly was interested in considering, then the New York Knicks reportedly called trying to grant the Wolves PoBO a perfect opportunity to unload the now 5-year head coach AND receive trade compensation, in return.

Late Tuesday night, Shams tweeted that the Knicks contacted both the Timberwolves and Rockets with requests to interview Finch, along with Houston head coach Ime Udoka. Unfortunately for those in the New York front office, neither team was interested.

The New York Knicks requested permission to speak to Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch and Houston Rockets coach Ime Udoka for their head coaching job, but were denied on both, sources tell ESPN. Knicks could request permission for other current head coaches too.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 11, 2025

Chris Finch is inarguably the most successful head coach in Minnesota Timberwolves history. With five seasons under his belt, Finch has already surpassed the longevity of any coach in franchise history, outside of the late, great Flip Saunders, who coached the Wolves two different times from 1996-2015, for a total of 11 seasons.

Related: Knicks Could Be Eyeing Timberwolves for More Help

Tom Thibodeau was here three years (2017-19), as was Rick Adelman (2012-14). No other head coach in the Timberwolves’ 36 years has a better regular season winning percentage than Finchy’s .566 (209-160). He’s also won more playoff games (21) than any Wolves coach before him, including Flip.

In fact, outside of Saunders Sr. — who posted a final regular season win percentage of .521 (427-392) and collected 17 playoff victories prior to his tragic passing — no other Wolves coach has even secured a winning record while in Minnesota.

Mavericks spurn Knicks too

So Wednesday morning, after being denied by the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets, the Knicks picked up the phone and tried again. This time, it was the Dallas Mavericks on the other end of the phone call. The target: their head coach Jason Kidd. Again… the answer was an emphatic no.

The New York Knicks requested permission Wednesday morning to speak to Mavericks coach Jason Kidd – and Dallas gave a firm rejection, sources tell ESPN. Knicks have been denied now on Kidd, Minnesota's Chris Finch and Houston's Ime Udoka.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 11, 2025

The Knicks’ attempts to lure away these established coaches aren’t surprising, after reports dropped last week saying they’d be doing just that. I’m not sure why those inside the New York Knicks’ decision-making circle (which includes former Wolves PoBO Gersson Rosas) thought other NBA teams would be open to dealing their head coach.

And even if you did think it was possible, why make the process so public? Those questions are difficult to answer. But of course, we are talking about the James Dolan New York Knicks, which have been more of a clown show over the past three decades than they have been a basketball team.

MN Timberwolves, Tim Connelly still all-in on Chris Finch

Immediately following Minnesota’s WCF loss to the OKC Thunder, some in media and around the fanbase (me) questioned whether Chris Finch is really the right man for the job, going forward.

Most of those doubters (me) still wonder if Finch’s free-flowing, low-responsibility attitude, both in his offensive and locker room philosophies are what’s best for the growth and development of young talented players, especially Anthony Edwards.

But clearly, Tim Connelly does not hold any of those concerns. Thus, Finchy is here to stay, and I am fine with that decision too. At the end of the day, in Tim we trust.

Related: Suns Seeking a Timberwolves-Friendly Return for Kevin Durant…

Now, after their best two seasons since the non-title success they had in the 90s, they fired their head coach seemingly without a real plan to replace him. Where do the Knicks turn from here?

Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori was one early candidate mentioned as a possibility… but I’d imagine New York wants someone more high profile than that. We’ll see if they can find what they are looking for.

Not only have the MN Timberwolves failed to win a Larry O’Brien Trophy during the franchise’s 36-year history, the Wolves have NEVER even been able to sew a patch graphic of one on their jerseys for an NBA Finals series.

Just three times — in 3.6 decades of the Timberwolves’ NBA existence — has this team even made the Western Conference Finals. Of note: Two of those three have come in consecutive seasons, under the leadership of president of basketball operations, Tim Connelly, head coach Chris Finch and rising superstar, Anthony Edwards.

But does that mean that’s the best three-headed monster to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves into the future Well, some (me) already asked that question, immediately following the Wolves’ latest WCF exit. You can read about how I feel, if you want, then decide for yourself. But in the end, our opinions don’t matter.

Other teams (New York Knicks) interested in trading for Chris Finch…?

The only opinion that really matters, when it comes to the future of Chris Finch — who obviously coached Karl-Anthony Towns before he was traded to New York — and KAT’s old team, the Minnesota Timberwolves, is Tim Connelly’s. As of now, there is no evidence to suggest that’s the case.

However, should our PoBO change his mind — and decide one way or another that Finchy is not the right man for the job, going forward — it sounds like at least one other team would be interested in trading for the Wolves 5-year head coach.

In a newly released notes piece at SNY.com, longtime NBA insider Ian Begley reports that the New York Knicks are eyeing up Finch — who holds the best winning percentage of any coach in Minnesota Timberwolves history, at .566 (209-160) — along with two other already-employed coaches, Ime Udoka (Rockets) and Jason Kidd (Mavericks).

Rockets’ Udoka, Mavericks’ Kidd, Timberwolves’ Finch among coaches under contract on Knicks’ radar for search:https://t.co/9fEkevoS5M

— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) June 6, 2025

Ime Udoka, Chris Finch, and Jason Kidd are among the coaches currently under contract who the Knicks have degrees of interest in…Kidd, 52, has been the Mavericks’ head coach since 2021. Udoka is the head coach of the Rockets, while Finch is the head coach of the Timberwolves…If the Knicks wind up hiring Udoka, Finch, or Kidd, they will be required to send compensation to their former team.

Ian Begley – SNY News Desk

It’s important to note that Towns isn’t the only thing that ties the Knicks back to the Minnesota Timberwolves. One of New York’s top executives, and lead decision-makers is former Wolves PoBO, Gersson Rosas, who back in 2021 was determined to hire Chris Finch the moment he fired Ryan Saunders, no matter who it pissed off.

Read: Knicks Could Be Eyeing Timberwolves for More Help

According to Begley, the New York Knicks are not all that interested in coaching retreads like Mike Malone, who was fired weeks prior to the postseason by the Denver Nuggets, or even popular candidates like former Villanova star coach, Jay Wright. Interestingly enough, The Athletic has already linked Wolves assistant coach, Micah Nori, as a possible candidate too.

What does the NBA prophecy (script?) say about the future of Minnesota Timberwolves leadership?

For now, though, Ian believes that Knicks’ decision-makers plan to be patient, as they search for an improvement from Tom Thibodeau, who was fired days after coaching New York to their first Eastern Conference Finals since the 1999-2000 season, not to mention two-straight East Semis before that.

For two-straight offseasons now, there have been questions surrounding Tim Connelly’s future as president of basketball ops. Now that Marc Lore (along with Alex Rodriguez and a host of billionaire minority investors) are set to take control of the organization this month, however, Connelly has confirmed he’s likely in for the long haul too.

We also know that Anthony Edwards — freshly equipped with a 5-year, $244.6 million maximum contract extension (which will go up even more when he makes another All-NBA team) that kicked in last season and has four years remaining — is not going anywhere either.

Does that mean Chris Finch is locked in as the third wheel to the Wolves’ leadership tricycle, underneath the new ownership group? As of now, that answer is yes. But if we ever hear otherwise… it sounds like things could get interesting fast.

For one season in the Big Apple, it was a bold move that reunited Towns with his former head coach in Minnesota, Tom Thibodeau. Despite the new-look Knicks going on to win 51 regular season games and making it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals, Thibs was fired on Tuesday.

While there are still questions surrounding Towns’ fit in New York, the $53 million (2025-26), $57 million (2026-27) and $61 million (2027-28 player option) he’s due the next three seasons will make it nearly impossible for the Knicks to move him. Instead, they will likely be forced to find a new head coach that can get them to the next level, with KAT on roster.

Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Micah Nori linked to Knicks head coaching job

And wouldn’t you know it, the Knicks are eyeing up the Minnesota Timberwolves yet again, in assistant coach, Micah Nori, according to The Athletic insiders — who linked him, along with eleven other candidates, to the New York Knicks’ newly vacant head coaching job.

Nori has been involved in several coaching searches in recent years while serving as the lead assistant in Minnesota under head coach Chris Finch. He has earned acclaim for his smarts and his mid-game interviews with the Timberwolves, while the franchise has also had two of its most successful seasons during his time there.

The Athletic

The fit in New York is an understandable one. Nori has a well-developed relationship with Towns and would be given reign to push him. If there is a way to bridge the gap on the roster between those that were there, and Towns going forward, a familiar face could be it.

At 51 years old Nori isn’t a former player fresh off of retirement and stepping onto the sidelines. He’s also not the aging retread that has been passed around the league by countless other teams. Nori has been waiting for his opportunity and he’d be a fresh voice in NBA head coaching circles.

He began as an assistant with the Toronto Raptors during the 2009-10 season and was there until going to Sacramento in 2013-14. He worked under Tim Connelly in Denver and came to Minnesota before the 2021-22 season.

Related: Timberwolves Deja Vu: Tom Thibodeau Relieved of His Coaching Duties in New York

It’s a pretty big ask for a new head coach to come in and improve upon 51 wins. Then again, it was here that you read about Tom Thibodeau being a fit for the incompetent New York Knicks.

So… is Nori going to leave for the New York Knicks?

In recent seasons there has been plenty of talk about Nori’s possible rise to head coaching prominence. At some point, that much smoke should eventually catch fire. Until then, he will continue to assist Chris Finch, who is easily the most successful head coach the Minnesota Timberwolves have ever had.

For as great as Finch has been, he has been severely out-coached at times, as well. If the Minnesota Timberwolves were to surprise the basketball world and look to improve on Finchy, maybe Nori would get a look. More likely, he and other rising assistants will look elsewhere for head coaching opportunities.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have plenty things they will be juggling this summer on their own. I’d guess Connelly would prefer not to add a coaching hire to the mix, but he may not have a choice.

Interestingly enough, both the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves made it all the way to the Conference Finals, before falling short. The Knicks lost in six games to the Indiana Pacers. The Wolves in five games to the OKC Thunder.

As was the case during his time in Minnesota, Towns has been a controversial player in the Big Apple. Some love KAT, others can’t stand him. An immensely talented basketball player, Karl-Anthony Towns’ flaws have been consistent and constant for most of his career.

New York Knicks annoyed with Karl-Anthony Towns

On offense, Karl-Anthony Towns is capable of scoring at every level. He’s one of the best shooting big men in NBA history. On the other side, KAT’s constant whining to officials and inconsistencies on defense have continued to haunt him.

It didn’t take long for New York Knicks fans to grow tired of Karl’s mannerisms and defensive deficiencies. But according to recent reports, his teammates weren’t impressed with what they saw either. James Edwards and Fred Katz outlined the reality in a recent report for The Athletic.

“Publicly, Knicks players made veiled comments all season about poor communication causing their inconsistencies. Behind the scenes, they and coaches expressed frustration with Towns’ defensive habits — less concerned with his talent level and more with his process on that end. Too often, Towns executed incorrect coverages without communicating why he did it. After it became a theme, players worried Towns didn’t grasp the importance of the matter.”

The Athletic

In two of the four losses against Indiana, Towns posted plus-minus numbers of -20 and -17. It’s an imperfect statistic on a single-game level, but defensive breakdowns and an inability to stop the Pacers scoring threats were evident for the New York big man.

It’s that effort, or lack thereof, that quickly lends itself to finger pointing. Towns did post a better 24.4 points per game this season, and his .42% three-point shooting was the second highest tally of his career. The effort and efficiency on the defensive end nullifies that performance in the locker room.

Early trouble for Karl-Anthony Towns in New York

It remains to be seen how the Knicks will build moving forward. They came up just short against the Indiana Pacers and won 51 games this season. Karl-Anthony Towns was a part of that, but could also quickly be seen as a problem.

Trading KAT should be priority #1 for the Knicks.

— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 1, 2025

A trade of Towns is an eyebrow-raising suggestion from NBA Insider Kevin O’Connor. It’s not that outlandish though. He is a tough player to build around, and there are major questions surrounding his ability to be a major contributor on an NBA Finals caliber team.

Head coach Tom Thibodeau already knew that from his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves though, so he must believe. For Towns to actually be moved, an acquiring team would need to swallow cap hits of $53 and $57 million the next two seasons. He also has a $61 million player option for the 2027-28 season, when he’ll be 32 years old.

Related: Orlando Magic Could Target Minnesota Timberwolves Guard

These are the warts New York was going to take on with Towns when moving Randle and DiVincenzo. Minnesota has decisions to make on the players they brought in, but they are substantially less financially and motivationally impactful than what Towns has served up for the Knicks.

Minnesota Timberwolves officially announce Karl-Anthony Towns trade to Knicks

But on Wednesday, the trade went official and it included more talent coming back for the Wolves than what was originally reported last week. Not only is Minnesota getting back the pieces above, earlier in the day, we found out that former Wolf Keita Bates-Diop is also part of the return package coming back for KAT.

The apron restrictions in the 2023 CBA have forced teams to be creative.

Both New York and Minnesota were not allowed to take back more salary because they were over the first apron.

Here is how the trade was structured.

The Randle number is higher because of the trade bonus. https://t.co/EAyYAH46RI pic.twitter.com/dn1q7DmzGV

— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) October 2, 2024

This was a very difficult trade for both teams to make work. The Knicks are flirting with luxury tax problems of their own, especially taking on all $220 million remaining on Towns’ contract. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves are a borderline 2nd apron team, which comes with even more penalties.

But in the end, where there is a will, there is a way. And neither team was going to let this deal fall through. Now, it’s done. The Minnesota Timberwolves are expected to hold a press conference introducing their new players, sometime this week, now that the trade is official.

What are the Timberwolves getting in Julius Randle?

The 29-year-old Randle has just one year remaining on his deal. Next year is a player option ($31M) that he is unlikely to take, if he has a good season. There are also rumors that the Wolves could look to move Randle. before the the season begins. So keep an eye out for that.

Related: Why Did the Minnesota Timberwolves Trade Karl-Anthony Towns?

In his 10-year NBA career, the former Kentucky Wildcat has appeared in 641 games with three different teams (Lakers, Pelicans, Knicks). Randle is averaging 19.1 points (47.0%), 9.4 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 32.0 minutes per game. In 2023-24 with the Knicks, he had possibly his best NBA season. Randle averaged 24.0 points (47.2%), 9.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists (35.4 MPG).

The trade is officially official

Welcome to Minnesota goat @J30_RANDLE pic.twitter.com/ifSPnRZUH8

— Ev (@EvInFour) October 2, 2024

According to the Minnesota Timberwolves official press release, Randle joined Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Dončić and Nikola Jokić as the only players to average 24.0+ points, 9.0+ rebounds and 5.0+ assists per game last season.

What are the Wolves getting with Donte DiVincenzo and Keita Bates-Diop?

The 27-year-old Donte DiVincenzo has appeared in 354 games over a six year NBA career. He’s played for four different teams (Bucks, Kings, Warriors, Knicks). But Donte is coming into his own recently, and he too had a career year in New York last season.

Related: NBA Insider Reveals Even More Details On Why Timberwolves Shockingly Traded KAT

DiVincenzo is averaging 10.6 points (42.8%), 4.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals (25.4 MPG). The long 6-4 guard averaged a career-best 15.5 points (44.3%) in 2023-24. He shot 40.1% from the 3-point line and played 29.1 minutes per game (both career highs). Oh, and he’s a dog on defense.

Donte DiVincenzo in the 2nd Half

21 PTS | 8-for-10 FG including these 5 crucial three point makes: pic.twitter.com/SRLH53rFWL

— DJ (@DJAceNBA) May 7, 2024

Unlike the other two pieces of this trade, the 28-year-old Keita Bates-Diop is coming off one of the most unproductive seasons of his 5-year NBA career. It got especially bad after being traded to Brooklyn, mid-season. He averaged 12.5 minutes per night, but his average of 3.7 points per game was his lowest since 2020-21.

Related: Knicks Finally Made a Trade Offer for KAT that Timberwolves Could Not Refuse

Everyone was shocked. The media had no idea, fans were frozen in disbelief and insiders had not been tipped off. Even Karl-Anthony Towns, himself, was not made aware that something was afoot. He reacted on social media, just like the rest of us. Reports later confirmed he had absolutely no idea, until the trade happened.

…

— Karl-Anthony Towns (@KarlTowns) September 28, 2024

In the hours since the trade took place, NBA pundits have been trying to make sense of what happened. Remember, last we heard regarding KAT trade rumors, the Minnesota Timberwolves planned to run it back for at least one more season, before re-evaluating their future.

Luxury tax has been part of the conversation, and we will get to that momentarily. But Taylor had assured Wolves fans and media members multiple times that money was not going to make a difference in how they constructed the roster in 2024-25.

Why the Minnesota Timberwolves traded Karl-Anthony Towns (official version)

This entire trade is weird, from a roster building standpoint. Karl-Anthony Towns’ former Kentucky teammate, Julius Randle, doesn’t necessarily fit what the Timberwolves want to do, either on defense or offense. Yet, he is supposed to be the reason for this trade? Come one.

Sure, Randle offers more of a power presence down low, on defense. But he’s shorter and probably a worse defender than Towns, overall.

On offense, if KAT often created spacing problems for the Wolves, specifically Anthony Edwards, then Julius Randle is only going to make that worse. And unlike Karl, if you force the 29-year-old Randle to the outside, like they often did Towns, he isn’t going to hit 40% of those three point shots (shot .311 3PT last season).

So… why make this move? The best Ramona Shelburne (ESPN) could come up with… Julius Randle played for Chris Finch once.

Important note on Julius Randle’s potential fit in Minnesota—he played well for TWolves coach Chris Finch in New Orleans when Finch was an assistant with the Pelicans.

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) September 28, 2024

As of Saturday morning, Jon Krawczynski (The Athletic) is being told that this trade will allow the Minnesota Timberwolves to get more out of Anthony Edwards, going forward? More playing time for Naz Reid is also part of the organization’s official messaging. This might make less sense than Ramona’s explanation.

The Wolves made the deal to maximize Edwards’ window for the long haul, team sources told The Athletic. The Wolves wanted to make sure Edwards could be on a competitive playoff team for much longer than just the next two years and believe the flexibility this move provides will aid that pursuit. Dealing Towns also could help them retain Reid, a wildly popular player in Minnesota who could be a free agent next summer.

Jon Krawczynski – The Athletic

More likely: Glen Taylor didn’t understand how much the luxury tax bill would be…

Now that we know what propaganda the team is trying to sell, let’s talk about what makes the most sense. Because trading for Julius Randle, given the Wolves current makeup, does not make them a better team.

Sure, the Wolves might be a bit deeper, but you don’t trade off a top-25 NBA talent for more depth. Remember, when things don’t make sense, there’s usually a reason for it. In this case, that reason is so clear, it’s going to be impossible for Wolves media to hide.

Related: Minnesota Timberwolves’ NBA Cup Court Design Has Been Leaked

Glen Taylor’s mouth got way too big for his wallet. When he was talking tough to insiders about how money didn’t matter, the numbers coming out of those reports were always way low on their projected luxury tax payment.

We wrote articles citing insider reports that mentioned $25-$50 million. At that same time, websites like Spotrac were estimating a $100 million tax payment next season. At that point, my antennas went up. Then, there were rumors of a Rudy Gobert extension, to help ease that tax payment, something that is yet to come to fruition.

Common sense tells the story here

And now, with the season nearly upon us… that massive luxury tax number was starting to feel more and more real. Sure, it doesn’t have to be paid until the season ends, but trading your way out of it becomes much more difficult once the season starts next month. Krawczynski’s snooping behind the scenes has confirmed as much.

As the Timberwolves analyzed their cap situation and looked at the landscape across the league, it was getting harder and harder for the Wolves to see a scenario where they could keep this team intact beyond this season, team sources said. 

…the Wolves had entered the dreaded second apron that brings with it luxury tax penalties and obstacles for team-building meant to strongly discourage teams from crossing that threshold for more than a couple of seasons.

In other words, Glen Taylor was probably pooping his depends this week. He may be the richest man in Minnesota, but $100 million, on top of the $200 million in player salaries is a lot of cash to front.

Last night’s move dropped their tax bill down to $77 million. Julius Randle costs the Timberwolves $20 million this year. And when the season is over, he can choose to become a free agent. If he plays well, an opt-out is almost guaranteed.

Julius Randle 57 point masterclass against timberwolves 4th highest scoring game in Knicks history pic.twitter.com/251vn1yZgI

— Chris💫 (@MoreViral_Marc) July 25, 2024

So, this trade allowed Minnesota to get out from under Karl-Anthony Towns recently signed max deal, which had 6 years left at an average of $55 million per season ($220 million guaranteed).

Related: NBA Insider Predicts Step Back for Minnesota Timberwolves

If you want the “why” to this deal, you may have to use your own common sense, over official reporting. I can’t imagine Glen Taylor is going to admit he got sticker shock, after talking so big this offseason. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. KAT’s contract got to the point where he just wasn’t worth it.

Instead of keeping things together for one more year, and then hoping someone would take him next offseason, Connelly got it done now, while he had a willing trade partner, in the New York Knicks. And that made Glen happy, because his luxury tax dues immediately dropped.

Knicks have acquired Karl-Anthony Towns from Minnesota for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round pick via Detroit, sources tell me and @JonKrawczynski. pic.twitter.com/FafQlY48Y1

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 28, 2024

Minnesota Timberwolves trade Karl-Anthony Towns to New York Knicks

Karl-Anthony Towns was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 draft and quickly evolved into the best player on the Minnesota Timberwolves, a role he never really fit. Once Anthony Edwards got to Minneapolis, KAT seemed to be settling in nicely as a Robin figure. Then, the Rudy Gobert trade happened, and Karl’s game had to evolve again.

• Karl-Anthony Towns career: 22.9 PTS | 10.8 REB | 3.2 AST | .398 3PT%

So… how’s your Friday night going? For Timberwolves fans, that probably depends on your feelings toward Karl-Anthony Towns. While I have never been the biggest KAT supporter, it is a bit surprising to see president of basketball operations Tim Connelly pull such a massive move, this close to the start of the regular season.

It will be interesting to find out more behind the science of this trade, and what exactly pushed Connelly into making such a move, at this time of the offseason. Clearly, it wasn’t just a surprise to the rest of us. KAT himself seemed to be taken aback by tonight’s developments.

…

— Karl-Anthony Towns (@KarlTowns) September 28, 2024

The word from the Towns camp is this: “Stunned.”

Nine years with the Wolves. Impeccable in the community. All-Star and All-NBA. Now a New York Knick.

— Jon Krawczynski (@JonKrawczynski) September 28, 2024

Wolves get Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a 1st round pick

Julius Randle arrived a year earlier, but he played with Karl-Anthony Towns at Kentucky. Both were drafted in 2015, Randle just six picks behind KAT. The 29-year-old has three NBA All-Star appearances and he’s 2x All-NBA. Julius has been at his best the last two season, averaging over 24 points and 9 rebounds per game.

Related: NBA Insider Predicts Step Back for Minnesota Timberwolves

Donte DiVincenzo is no slouch either, and should provide the Minnesota Timberwolves with more backcourt minutes. The 27 year old shooting guard posted a career high 15.5 points per game in 2024, to go along with 2.7 assists and 1.3 steals per game (29.1 MPG).

For Karl-Anthony Towns, he gets to reunite with Tom Thibodeau…

Between the Knicks and Timberwolves, which team ended up overpaying to bring in star talent? Let’s dive in.

Reviewing the cost of Rudy Gobert/Mikal Bridges trades

Before we get into what each player brings to their respective teams, lets recap what the Timberwolves and Knicks paid to acquire Rudy Gobert and Mikal Bridges.

• Timberwolves traded: Patrick Beverley, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler, four unprotected first-round picks, 2026 pick swap
• Jazz traded: Rudy Gobert

• Knicks traded: Bojan Bogdanovic, five first-round picks (four unprotected, one top-4 protected), an unprotected pick swap, future second-round pick
• Nets traded: Mikal Bridges, future second-round pick

So, the Knicks ended up sending a total of five first-round picks, plus granted the Nets the option to swap first-round selections if it’s advantageous for Brooklyn. Meanwhile, the Timberwolves parted with four firsts, plus a pick swap.

Obviously, the biggest difference here, aside from the Knicks giving up another first-round pick, is the players the Timberwolves traded away. Yet, none of these athletes are difference-makers, and only Kessler remained in Utah after one season.

The Timberwolves never lacked depth following the trade, with Tim Connelly continuing to build an extremely deep roster of talent that still continues today. Sure, they may have trouble replenishing talent in the future without first-round picks, but the Timberwolves have been great at adapting on the fly, retooling the roster when a key player departs.

As for the Knicks, it’s the same move the Timberwolves did back in 2022; they’re all-in. Minnesota had a disappointing first-round playoff exit to the Nuggets in their first season with Gobert, which was the same result they had the season prior in their loss to Memphis.

Obviously, we don’t know how the Knicks will do with Bridges on the roster, but they were already a team that reached the Eastern Conference Finals, so expectations will remain sky-high next season. Anything less than another ECF appearance will be seen as a failure.

Related: 10 Greatest Minnesota Timberwolves Players Of All-Time

Comparing Rudy Gobert’s impact to Mikal Bridges

Okay, so we know what each team gave up to land Gobert and Bridges, but what about the actual players themselves? What are the Knicks getting in Bridges, compared to what Gobert brought to Minnesota?

When Gobert arrived in the Twin Cities, he was already a two-time All-Star, three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner, earned four All-NBA honors, and was a six-time member of the All-Defensive team. He’s since added a DPOY award, made it to another All-Star game, and earned another All-Defensive honor.

• Rudy Gobert’s career stats before being traded: 12.4 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 2.2 BPG

At the time of the trade, Gobert was already viewed as one of the top 25 players in the NBA, he was on a Hall of Fame path, and had a reputation for being one of the top-five defenders too. None of those qualities have deteriorated since coming to the Land of 10,000 Lakes. It should also be noted that Gobert was set to turn 30 in his first season with the Wolves.

As for Bridges? He has nowhere near the same career résumé as Gobert.

But make no mistake, the Knicks made this trade for a reason. Bridges is still a very good two-way player, offering help on both ends of the floor, and at 27 years old, he’s also three years younger.

Yet, Bridges has never made an All-Star appearance, he’s never come close to doing anything that Gobert has, aside from being named to an All-Defensive team, back in 2022.

• Mikal Bridges’ career stats: 14.3 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 2.6 APG, 1.2 SPG, 37.5% 3PT
• Bridges’ stats last season: 19.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1 SPG, 37.2% 3PT

To be fair, we had to show Bridges’ stats in his most recent season with the Nets since that’s his most recent performance and likely what controlled the cost during trade negotiations. In Brooklyn, Bridges went from a defensive standout to one of the top-scoring threats on the Nets’ roster. Now that he’s in New York, where he’ll play second fiddle to Jalen Brunson from a scoring standpoint, expect Bridges’ points per game output to decrease slightly.

So, even though the teams didn’t negotiate with each other, who won the Gobert/Bridges trades? Which team ‘overpaid’? At this point, it’s hard to suggest the Timberwolves overpaid at all, as they’ve since become one of the best teams in basketball.

Meanwhile, the Knicks were already there, but can Bridges put them over the top? Is he really the missing piece in the Big Apple? Time will tell, but the early signs are that the Knicks paid way too much for their newest acquisition, but you can’t say the same about Gobert, despite what initial reports wanted you to believe.

Related: Tim Connelly Had Head Execs from Other Local Teams Helping in Timberwolves Draft Room

Earlier this week, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that former Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau is in the running for the New York Knicks vacant head coaching position. Other candidates for the job include current interim-head coach Mike Miller and former Brooklyn Nets head coach Kenny Atkinson.

Story with @MikeVorkunov: Knicks soon embarking on head coaching search process, with Tom Thibodeau atop the list, sources tell The Athletic.

Full details, including timetable at @TheAthleticNBA: https://t.co/UwbSakELQU

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 27, 2020

Thibodeau has been a head coach for a total of 7 ½ years — 5 with the Chicago Bulls and 2 ½ with the Timberwolves. During those years, he made the playoffs six times. Not bad, huh? Must be a good coach.

Eh. Not really.

via GIPHY

Past Transgressions

However, anyone who watched the Timberwolves during Thibodeau’s tenure knows that this would be a terrible, though not unprecedented, move by the Knicks. Other than trading for Jimmy Butler and leading the Wolves to the playoffs for the first time since 2003-04, Thibodeau was a total disaster. Let’s recap some of that:

• Per his request, Butler was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers in November of 2018, just 13 games into the season.
• Even though Thibs was considered a defensive coach, the Timberwolves were below-average defensively during all 2 ½ years of Thibodeau’s short tenure, as shown below.

• He tarted the infamous TimberBulls, a collection of past Bulls whom Thibodeau signed to the Wolves.

Presenting your 2018-2019 Minnecago Timberbulls. ? pic.twitter.com/UwFE7Pjkmf

— theScore (@theScore) September 11, 2018

• Tom was fired midway through the 2018-19 season, after a 19-21 start. The move came after an impressive win over the LeBron-led Los Angeles Lakers.

Since being let go from the Timberwolves, Thibodeau has scanned the league for the right fit. I don’t think that fit is the New York Knicks.

Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks

The Knicks have one of the youngest rosters in the league — their average age of 25 years old was 6th in the NBA at the start of the 2019-20 season — and that, plus Tom Thibodeau on top, is not a recipe for success..

When the former Wolves coach made the Eastern Conference Finals with the Bulls in the 2010-11 season, Chicago’s average age was about 28 years old. With the Timberwolves, the roster wasn’t much younger.

In my opinion, the young Knicks won’t be able to handle the demanding nature of Coach Thibodeau. We all saw how it turned out with Wiggins and Towns.

On top of that, his coaching style doesn’t fit today’s game. He has built a reputation for playing his guys too long, both in Chicago and Minnesota (one could associate that with both Zach Lavine and Derrick Rose’s ACL tears). Additionally, his game strategy doesn’t fit in with that of today’s style.

In 2017-18, the year the Timberwolves made the playoffs, Minnesota was dead-last in three-pointers attempted. They only put up 22.5 per game. To put that into perspective, the Houston Rockets attempted a jaw-dropping 42.3 three-pointers per game in the same season. 

If Thibs has somehow evolved from his never-taking-my-starters-out-of-the-game or old-school coaching style, then I think he can become a good head coach in today’s game. If not, the Knicks would be making another huge mistake (which isn’t something new to them by the way).

“In all my years one thing has never changed; you win with serious, tough-minded players. That never changes.” — Tom Thibodeau

Looking at the quote above, it seems that if Thibs is hired, he won’t be winning anytime soon.

Carson Ruen | Minnesota Sports Fan