The NBA is back.

Not only because training camps start across the league next week, but above all because it’s all about making headlines again with monster trades. This one came out of the blue and surprised some of the principles:

Karl Anthony Towns is going to the New York Knicks for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in what ended up being a three-man trade.

Let’s break down the winners and losers of this deal, but first, here’s the full trade:

New York receives: Karl Anthony cities
Minnesota receives: Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, 2025 first-round pick (via Detroit, top-13 protected)
Charlotte receives: DaQuan Jeffries, “Compensation Draft” (the details of the players and picks going to the Hornets to make the money work are not final as of this writing)

WINNER: New York Knicks

Ultimately, it’s this simple: The Knicks needed a center and just landed one of the best in the NBA.

Towns is an All-NBA level big man who makes this team better. New York has had its eye on the New Jersey native for years and now needs help with the five (Mitchell Robinson will be recovering from surgery until around Christmas. and Isaiah Hartenstein went to Oklahoma City for a bigger paycheck), the Knicks got one of the best in the game.

It’s not a hand-in-hand fit. There are questions.

At the top of the list is how well Towns can hold his own as the rim-protecting defensive anchor of a Tom Thibodeau defense. Will the lively player bring it every night like Thibs demands? What worked in Minnesota is that the defensive role – and the rebounder that comes with it – fell to Rudy Gobert, which allowed Towns to play the four and be a little hidden on defense. (To be fair, Towns had good defensive moments, most notably against Nikola Jokic when the Timberwolves beat the Nuggets in the second round of the playoffs last season.) Towns will now have to assume that role full-time, until Robinson returns.

Thibodeau was frustrated with Towns’ effort and play when he coached the Kentucky big man in Minnesota (during the Jimmy Butler era), but in recent years he has said several times that he would be open to working with Towns again. He’s had nothing but positive things to say about Towns lately.

The loss of the DiVincenzo Stings made him a crucial part of their bench and a fan favorite, but it was the price that came with completing the deal. reported the well-connected Ian Begley of SNY.TV. When the Knicks accepted that and included him in the deal, everything worked out quickly. To get talent, you have to give up talent. The Knicks did that.

And now they’re better for it. This new lineup may take some time to come together, but New York is now in the big game and a real threat from the East.

POTENTIAL LOSER: Knicks depth

If there’s one thing that stands out about the Knicks in the East – aside from the fact that Boston and Philadelphia are both very good – it’s their depth.

The Knicks’ starting five can compete with anyone: Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Towns.

The bench is… less impressive. To put it kindly. Miles “Deuce” McBride has a lot to carry right now, and having Robinson back will help. A combination of Precious Achiuwa, Cameron Payne and Jericho Sims will get their chance. Or maybe if the guys have signed training camp contracts, Landry Shamet or Marcus Morris Sr. will be on the final roster. None of this blows anyone away.

Tom Thibodeau is more than happy to give his starters heavy minutes, but he — and the Knicks front office — will have to find some backup minutes over the course of the 82-game marathon to make it work.

WINNER: Timberwolves (short-term)

If you will, blame the second apron of the luxury tax for driving this trade. The league’s front offices were thinking about when, not if, Minnesota would have to trade Towns for financial reasons. With Anthony Edwards’ new max extension coming into effect this season in addition to Gobert’s max deal, Towns’ max deal and high-priced role players – Jaden McDaniels, making $23 million this season – something had to be done give in and that would happen is KAT. This team would be too expensive for any owner – especially Glen Taylor, but also the Alex Rodriguez/Marc Lore/Mike Bloomberg group – and changes came.

However, after reaching the Western Conference finals last season, Minnesota was expected to keep its rival team – the one that used its size to beat defending champion Denver – together for at least another season to compete.

No. However, this trade should keep the Timberwolves at the top of the West for at least another season. It also saves money, Randle and DiVincenzo combined make about $9 million less than Towns.

That can work on the pitch, but it puts a lot of pressure on coach Chris Finch to get the best out of a squad where the pieces don’t really fit.

Randle knows how to get balls, he is a bully-ball player in the paint who averaged 24 points and 9.2 rebounds per game last season. He’s also a ball stopper on offense who doesn’t hold up the floor. So pairing him with the non-shooting Gobert allows opposing teams to attack the ball and take away lanes from Edwards. That’s where DiVincenzo comes in – his shooting and secondary playmaking could be a good fit for Edwards, and it takes some of the pressure off 37-year-old point guard Mike Conley.

This deal could mean more run for reigning Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid if Finch decides he needs to stagger Randle and Edwards’ minutes as much as possible. DiVincenzo’s arrival takes some pressure off rookie Rob Dillingham (and Terrence Shannon Jr.) to contribute on Day 1.

It’s a strange puzzle to put together, but there’s a lot of talent on this roster and a full season to figure out how to make it work. This could work out for the Timberwolves this season, they should still be at the top of the West and be a postseason threat from the West.

LOSER: Timberwolves long term

“Loser” may be too strong a term here, but times are changing in Minnesota.

Remember, this trade was about saving Minnesota money. Randle is making $28.9 million this season with a player option for $30.9 million next season, which he is not expected to receive. The way the Timberwolves ultimately save money here is to let Randle go – or find a trade for him (perhaps a sign-and-trade) next offseason – and move on from his money.

With 37-year-old point guard Conley not being the long-term answer at the position, this team will look different in a few years. Edwards is the rising superstar and the guy that everything revolves around. He is the face of the franchise. Gobert will be on the team while McDaniels, DiVincenzo and Reid are still there, but the roster will change in the coming years. The bottom line is that Towns is an All-NBA level talent at center now playing in Manhattan, and once Randle is gone, this will be a very different team. Probably not quite as good, at least until Tim Connelly and the Minnesota front office figure out exactly what they want Edwards’ team to look like.

LOSER: “Nova Knicks

Following the trade for Mikal Bridges this summer, there was great excitement as the Nova Knicks – Villanova’s four key players Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Bridges and DiVincenzo – claimed a major victory in college and now wanted to do it together in the Madison Square Garden .

Things fell apart before the four even appeared in court together. Which kind of sucks. DiVincenzo was the price of this trade, and the Knicks were right to do so, but it’s still a little sad.

WINNER: Denver Nuggets

Tim Connelly was the front office mastermind who built a championship team in Denver, then he went to Minnesota and built the only team with the size to beat them. The Timberwolves were able to prevail in a hard-fought second-round series against the Nuggets last May because they had the size to keep up with Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon. Towns played the best defensive series of his career in the duel with Jokic, and all the size he was able to throw at the Serb made the difference.

Now Minnesota is smaller and Jokic can overlook Randle until the NBA Finals. Oklahoma City may block that view (and the Nuggets are a weaker team without Kentavious Caldwell-Pope), but Minnesota simply traded its strength for Denver. This is a win for Jokic and the Nuggets.