Almost a year ago, exactly, the NBA world was shaken by the blockbuster trade between the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves that was completed just before the start of training camp.
New York shipped former All-Star Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to Minnesota for their former No. 1 overall pick, Karl-Anthony Towns.
It's safe to say the trade worked out for both teams in year one, as both the Knicks and Timberwolves reached the Conference Finals in their respective conference, but Towns recently opened up about the deal and explained what being traded felt like.
Karl-Anthony Towns Opens up on Knicks-Timberwolves Trade
In an appearance on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, Towns explained his mindset when he first heard about the trade.
"Obviously it stung. I called that place home for nine years," Towns said.
"I’ve built my life there, I’ve had so many memories there. So, it’s kind of like that first breakup. It was tough."
The Timberwolves made Towns the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, and he had spent his entire career in Minnesota before the trade to New York.
Before 2024, the T-wolves had only made the playoffs during Jimmy Butler's lone season in Minnesota. Things didn't fully turn around until Anthony Edwards came onto the scene.
In 2023-24, Minnesota had its best season in nearly 20 years, knocking out the defending champion Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals before losing to the eventual West champion Dallas Mavericks in the Conference Finals.
Towns was a major component for the Knicks making their own Conference Finals run in 2024-25. Now with new head coach Mike Brown at the helm, New York looks to take another step forward to the NBA Finals this upcoming season.