A former first-overall pick gets dealt as two contenders make a major swap. And it all happened without Woj.

Just when you thought you had the NBA figured out!

Today’s Lineup

KAT to the Mecca!

There’s never a dull moment in the NBA, a rule that does in fact extend to unexpected Friday nights in September.

Just when it seemed like all the NBA offseason dominoes had fallen, the Knicks and Timberwolves struck a major deal that will send Karl-Anthony Towns to New York in exchange for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a first-round pick via Detroit.

The storylines around this trade are endless—the end of a nine-year run in Minnesota for KAT, the elevation of New York to true title contenders, and the end of the Nova Knicks experiment before it even began. We would normally get a whole offseason to adjust to deals like this, but it’ll only be a few weeks before we see Towns suit up in the orange and blue.

Many have chalked Minnesota’s motivation to make this deal up to salary cap concerns—KAT was due to recieve $220 million over the next four seasons, and with another monster deal for Anthony Edwards kicking in this season, the Wolves were headed for the dreaded second apron. The NBA is a business, but there’s still a major emotional element—especially when the trades surprise the players as much as they surprise us: ⬇️

One more note: while the news broke this weekend, this trade isn’t exactly completed yet. New York and Minnesota still need to sort out the fine print, and while sources expect it to be done early this week, there does exist the possibility of a dramatic fallout…

Still Signing!

Just because a major trade goes down doesn’t mean the offseason extension train is slowing down! Let’s break down the most recent deals:

Terance Mann: 3-year, $47 million extension w/LAC

The Clippers will be adjusting a lot this season, from competing in a new arena to playing without Paul George. But one player will remain constant—entering the prime of his career, Mann has the chance to make a major impact in L.A. this season. Clearly, the front office agrees.

Jose Alvarado: 2-year, $9 million extension w/NOP

Grand Theft Alvarado didn’t steal a thing with this contract, which gave NOLA a bargain deal for one of the league’s peskiest defenders. After clawing his way to a place in the league as an undrafted free agent in 2021, Alvarado finished sixth in 6MOTY voting last season—a testament to not only his work ethic, but the impact he provides on the court for the Pels.

Hoops History

Many modern NBA fans may not recognize a league that doesn’t feature KAT in a Timberwolves jersey—after being drafted with the top pick in the 2015 draft, he’s become one of the greatest shooting bigs in history and a fixture of the NBA world. Let’s take a stroll through how the league looked back on that draft night…

The start of a dynasty

Nine days before Minny drafted KAT, Golden State won the first ring of its modern dynastic run, defeating LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in six games. If anything, this is a testament to the strength of the Dubs’ core—it took nearly a decade for the big three of Steph Curry, Klay Thomson, and Draymond Green to be broken up. We, for one, will never stop Enjoy-ing their greatness.

Other top picks

KAT is one of the last players in the first round of the 2015 Draft to leave the team that drafted them—only Myles Turner (IND), Devin Booker (PHX), and Kevon Looney (GSW) remain with their original squads. Other notable selections included D’Angelo Russell to the Lakers (the first time) Kristaps Porzingis to the Knicks, and Cameron Payne to OKC. Russ dance, anyone?

Stars in old colors

Many of our favorite faces were in notable places in 2015:

• Tim Duncan and Tony Parker were the Spurs’ second and third leading scorers.

• Other than LeBron, the East’s All-Star starters were Pau Gasol, Carmelo Anthony, Kyle Lowry, and John Wall.

• Nikola Jokic spent his first season after being drafted to the Nuggets far away from Denver, finishing up his career with KK Mega Basket in Serbia before crossing the sea and taking the NBA by storm…

What a career in Minnesota for KAT! We can’t wait to see what New York holds.

Three in the Key

Signing Off

And we out! Thanks for spending a portion of your day with us. This week, be extra grateful to the people who support you! Whether it’s your friends, family, or coworkers, we all play a part in holding each other up. Don’t forget to thank them for it! See you soon.

-Walker Carnathan