Broadway bound: Timberwolves trading star center to Knicks in blockbuster deal

Four-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns is coming to Broadway.

According to Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, Towns will be traded to the New York Knicks. In exchange, the Minnesota Timberwolves will receive Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round pick.

When the deal becomes official, it will be a three-team trade, per Charania. The Knicks dealt guard DaQuan Jeffries and draft compensation to the Charlotte Hornets to absorb salary.

Towns doesn't come cheap, carrying a hefty $49.2 million cap hit in 2024-25 . Meanwhile, he has three years remaining on a four-year, $220 million contract, including a player option ($61 million) in 2027-28, when he'll be 32 years old.

Conversely, Randle will make $28.9 million in 2024-25 and has a player option in 2025-26 ($30.9 million) remaining on his deal. DiVincenzo carries an $11.4 million cap hit this season and is locked up through 2026-27.

Acquiring Towns is a big swing from the Knicks, who found out recently they'd be without center Mitchell Robinson for the start of the season. The six-year veteran has yet to recover from stress fracture surgery in May, delaying his 2024-25 debut until at least December.

Towns brings name value, but how he'll fit with the Knicks is another question. He's coming off an All-Star campaign last season, averaging 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists. On paper, he might be an upgrade in the frontcourt, joining a starting lineup that will likely consist of Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart.

On the other side, the Timberwolves have transformed their lineup overnight, trading away a pillar of the franchise in the hope of a fresh start.

Randle was productive last season for the Knicks (24.0 points, 9.2 rebounds, 5.0 assists), but there are natural concerns about how he'd potentially fill Towns' role in Minnesota. Meanwhile, DiVincenzo averaged 15.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists a game, but could receive a serious boost working alongside star Anthony Edwards.

It's a wait-and-see deal for both the Knicks and the Timberwolves. How far these acquisitions move the needle in the standings remains to be seen.