In a shocking development, the New York Knicks pulled off the blockbuster deal of the NBA Offseason. A deal that sent shockwaves through the league and especially fans in New York and Minnesota respectively. Make no doubt about it, this is a risky move from Leon Rose.
This Knicks trade is a boom or bust move in many ways, trading two-time All-NBA forward Julius Randle , a player who took the Knicks from pretenders to contenders during his time there is one thing. On top of that, trading Donte DiVincenzo coming off a career year, after hitting one of the most famous threes in playoff franchise history against the Sixers, is another. Despite some maddening lapses of iso ball and over-dribbling from Randle, it’s a bold decision to part ways with one of the franchise’s best players of their modern era.
Albeit, it is clear the team was moving toward the direction of building around Jalen Brunson . However, to also move DiVincenzo, one of the best contracts in the league, fresh off his breaking the franchise’s single-season three-point scoring record , feels like the biggest question. Unquestionably, the Knicks have acquired a star in Karl-Anthony Towns .
A four-time All-Star who’s averaged 20 points or more for eight straight seasons. He solves the team’s massive hole at center and there are scheme benefits to the move. Yet it feels extremely risky to pull apart two key cogs to the lineup to acquire him.
Towns must hit the ground running and play a big part in a deep pla.
