The final weekend of the NBA offseason brings us another league-changing deal between two teams with NBA Finals aspirations.

Karl-Anthony Towns will join the New York Knicks while Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo are heading to the Minnesota Timberwolves, sources told ESPN. The Timberwolves also receive a top-13 protected 2025 first-round pick from the Knicks, with the Charlotte Hornets receiving draft compensation to facilitate the entire deal.

Towns spent nine seasons in Minnesota since being selected No. 1 in 2015. The four-time All-Star big man averaged 22.9 points and will reunite with head coach Tom Thibodeau, for whom he played from 2016-2019.

Randle, a three-time All-Star forward, has been sidelined since January with a right shoulder injury that later required surgery in April. DiVincenzo, a six-year veteran sharpshooter, finished last season with career highs in games played (81) and 3-point percentage (40%).

Here’s what our NBA insiders from around the league are hearing about the blockbuster move.

What do league insiders say about Towns’ suitability in New York?

Ramona Shelburne: The Knicks’ biggest need was at center after the departure of Isaiah Hartenstein and the injury to Mitchell Robinson, and they just filled it with a top-five center in the league. Towns should help balance the scoring and create space with his career 39% 3-point shooting rate.

Chris Herring: That obviously revolves around the Knicks’ question of who will hold the center position, which is few and far between after the loss of Hartenstein in free agency and Robinson’s ankle surgery, which is expected to sideline him for the next few months. Towns gives New York incredible spacing on offense – and points as a No. 2 – and he has experience in Thibodeau’s defensive system. But at first glance, he lacks the rugged, physical style that players like Randle and DiVincenzo brought to the team.

Bobby Marks: Seamless is a word one team described to me about Towns’ fit. The Knicks really wanted to get a center. Not only does Towns fill that void, but he also gives New York a real stretch five. Towns is one of four players who averaged 20 points, 50% shooting and 40% three-pointers last season. Also consider that Towns is already comfortable playing for Tom Thibodeadu after spending three years with the Knicks coach in Minnesota.

What do league insiders say about Randle’s stint in Minnesota? Is that his ultimate goal?

Shelburne: This trade is possible because Naz Reid has done so well. He’s likely still coming off the bench, and there are questions about the spacing between Randle and Gobert, but Wolves coach Chris Finch is a fan of Randle, having coached him to a breakout season in New Orleans in 2018-19.

Herring: That the Wolves take an overall approach. Randle expects to stay in Minnesota because he can opt out of his contract after this season. That reality gives Minnesota far more financial flexibility than they had under Towns’ big $220 million contract. It’s also worth noting that this deal isn’t just about Towns and Randle. DiVincenzo was fantastic last season, ranking third in the league in three-pointers, behind Stephen Curry and Luka Doncic. He has one of the cheapest contracts in the NBA and will be an important part of the Wolves’ rotation.

Marks: Whether Randle’s tenure in Minnesota is short-term or part of the future. Randle has a $30.9 million player option for next season and can become a free agent. He is eligible to sign a four-year, $181 million contract extension six months after the trade is completed. For now, Randle gives Minnesota an All-NBA forward to complement Rudy Gobert and better roster flexibility going forward. Before he injured his shoulder last season, Randle had 19 straight 20-point games, the longest streak of his career.

The biggest winner from this deal is ____?

Shelburne: The Knicks – who have done nothing but go all out this summer by trading for Mikal Bridges, adding Brunson and Anunoby and now acquiring Towns. You now have three real stars, all on the same timeline. Yes, they are right in front of the second frontcourt and have used up their draft capital. But in today’s NBA, that’s no longer enough for a team to hold its own for several years.

Herring: Can I use a lifeline here? The truth is, I have no idea still. I was excited to see what the Knicks looked like with Mikal Bridges in the lineup, which will now include Towns in place of Randle and DiVincenzo – a very different look and style. I like that Minnesota is streamlining its extensive rotation with big players and that it now has more wingers at its disposal. It also offers more flexibility with the upper limit in the future. But I can’t believe what a huge turnaround this is for both clubs, who seemed to be on an upward trajectory without these deals. They will be one of the most interesting teams in the association this season.

Marks: Can I answer this question in June? The Knicks continue to go all-in with their roster, first trading five first-round picks for Mikal Bridges and then taking on the $220 million salary owed to Karl-Anthony Towns. The positive, however, is that New York didn’t have to trade backup Deuce McBride as part of the deal and still has Josh Hart coming off the bench. As for Minnesota, they’re still a top-four team in the West, but how far they go depends on Randle’s health. Randle underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left ankle last April and most recently underwent season-ending surgery to repair the shoulder dislocation he suffered in January. The addition of DiVincenzo brings stability and perimeter shooting to a young Minnesota bench. Last year with New York, DiVincenzo made 283 3-pointers, the most in a season in Knicks history. His 241 catch-and-shoot 3-pointers last season were the most in the NBA, according to Second Spectrum.

The biggest remaining question mark is ____?

Shelburne: Whether the Knicks now have enough to dethrone the Boston Celtics and get past the other competitors in the East. They are significantly more talented now after their offseason home run swings. But now that they’ve gone all-in, this group needs to perform because the Knicks have largely exhausted their assets and flexibility.

Herring: Honestly, there are a few. How does Randle — who sometimes takes rash shots and dribbles into traffic — cope with Anthony Edwards on the floor? Will Towns be a good fit alongside his physical Knicks teammates?

Marks: What else is New York sending into the trade? Since New York is above the first frontcourt, they cannot take back Towns’ contract without paying additional salary in addition to Randle and DiVincenzo. As Tim Bontempts reported, the Hornets are part of this trade and will receive additional salaries. The Knicks and Hornets are still working out the details of who will be involved. Similar to when New York agreed to take over Bridges at the end of June, other players are expected to become involved.

How will Towns’ tenure in Minnesota be remembered?

Shelburne: Loving but incomplete. He’s waited a long time to play with a co-star like Anthony Edwards. It would have been nice to see this team give it another shot after last season’s conference finals. But Towns was no longer on the same schedule as the Wolves’ young core and he was making too much to stay under the new CBA. It’s worth noting that he never asked for a trade or complained about being in Minnesota – which is a big reason the team sent him into a situation he would be happy with.

Herring: As someone who was incredibly talented and played a role in turning things around for the Wolves. He never seemed to be the leading man who turned the tide – it was Jimmy Butler and eventually Edwards – but few big men in the league were better during the former No. 1 pick’s time in Minnesota. Aside from what he did on the field, he showed an unusual degree of vulnerability in 2020 and 2021, especially after losing his mother and seven other relatives to COVID-19.

Tags: As a future Hall of Famer who finally brought stability to a losing franchise. Since being drafted in 2015, Towns has endured numerous coaching changes (three since current head coach Chris Finch was hired) and endless trips to the lottery. He will finish his time in Minnesota behind only Kevin Garnett in terms of points scored for the franchise.

How will Randle’s tenure in New York be remembered?

Shelburne: Randle was an Ironman until his injury last year. He played hard in every game. Two things that Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau values ​​very much. He had weaknesses and sometimes didn’t cope well with the crowd. But eventually he overcame a lot of that and earned respect within the franchise and the city. He was something of a consolation prize after the Knicks failed to sign Kevin Durant in free agency in 2019. But he far exceeded initial expectations to become a 2020 MVP candidate.

Herring: In many ways, it will be similar to the way Wolves fans viewed Towns’ tenure. Randle had big mistakes at times; especially early in his time in New York. But his work ethic and improvements on the field helped the Knicks end the league’s worst streak in the past two decades. He made two All-NBA teams and often looked like a No. 1 option before struggling badly several times in the postseason. Randle hoped to rewrite his postseason narrative alongside fellow star Jalen Brunson last season, but the forward suffered a shoulder injury in late January and was unable to return to the lineup after rehab. Still, on an individual level, he exceeded fan expectations when the Knicks signed him in 2018.

Markings: Unfinished. Yes, Randle was named All-NBA three times with New York, but most fans will remember his deficiencies in the playoff series at Atlanta and Miami, which contributed to a long stretch of postseason disappointment for the Knicks.