Karl-Anthony Towns

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Claxton, Raptors, Knicks, Towns

October 30th, 2024 at 2:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Following up on the NBA’s announcement that the Sixers were fined $100K for violating the league’s player participation policy, Sam Amick and Joe Vardon of The Athletic attempt to parse the somewhat vague language of the NBA’s statement, which said the team was penalized not for resting Joel Embiid but for “public statements inconsistent with Embiid’s health status.”

One league source told The Athletic duo that Embiid didn’t re-injure his surgically repaired left knee during the Olympics, but that there were concerns about the stability of the knee and the possible risk of further damage if he had played last week. In other words, the big man is dealing with a legitimate knee issue despite the team’s insistence that there were no offseason setbacks.

One significant factor in the league’s decision to fine the Sixers was the team’s messaging that the playoffs were a top priority and that the regular season wasn’t, per Amick and Vardon. Sixers president Daryl Morey, head coach Nick Nurse, and Embiid all spoke publicly this fall about their plan to rest the star center frequently – including in back-to-back sets – in order to ensure he’s ready to go for the postseason.

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Nets center Nic Claxton, who is still ramping up his conditioning after missing the entire preseason with a hamstring injury, will sit out Wednesday’s game against Memphis, the second of a back-to-back set, writes Ted Holmund of The New York Post. Claxton hasn’t experienced any setbacks, according to head coach Jordi Fernandez. “It’s basically part of the return to play with his minutes, back-to-back, being cautious with his body and this was part of the plan,” Fernandez said. “So he did a great job. He played those, those extra minutes at 26 (on Tuesday vs. Denver). Right now, we need a good rest and recovery, and then we’ll take the next step. So again, very, very happy with him.”
After officially announcing their training camp roster on Monday, the Raptors 905 – Toronto’s G League affiliate – made a trade to acquire Charlie Brown Jr.‘s returning rights, tweets Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca. The deal sent the rights to Marques Bolden and three future G League draft picks, including a 2025 first-rounder, to the Osceola Magic in exchange for Brown, who was cut by Charlotte earlier this month.
The Westchester Knicks (New York’s G League affiliate) also announced their training camp roster this week. The squad has no shortage of players with NBA experience, including forwards T.J. Warren, Chuma Okeke, and Matt Ryan, guard Landry Shamet (who is rehabbing a dislocated shoulder), and center Moses Brown.
The Knicks essentially never ran plays on offense for big men Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein over the past couple seasons, so they’re still trying to figure out how best to get new center Karl-Anthony Towns involved on that end of the court. Peter Botte of The New York Post takes a look at those efforts.

Atlantic Notes: Nets Big Lineup, Simmons, Towns, Barnes

October 29th, 2024 at 6:38pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Nets have experimented with a bigger lineup and thus far, the results are promising, Bridget Reilly of the New York Post notes. The frontcourt of Nic Claxton, Ziaire Williams and Noah Clowney has posted a plus-24.3 net rating.

“It’s great because Noah was committed to shoot the three. Ziaire will let it fly. And if you look at those three guys it’s like a lot of length, size,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “We’ve been talking about how small we’ve been, but right now, you see those three guys on the court and you’re like, wow, there’s no room. They’re flying around. Their effort has been amazing. They’re long, so very, very happy to see those guys working well together and doing the right things for the team.”

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Ben Simmons didn’t suit up for Tuesday’s game against Denver. Simmons was ruled out on Monday due to lower back injury management, Brian Lewis of the New York Post tweets. The former No. 1 overall pick has posted modest stats in three outings this season — 5.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game. Simmons, who is making over $40MM this season, will be an unrestricted free agent in the summer.
What does Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson think of the Knicks’ acquisition of Karl-Anthony Towns? A whole bunch, according to Peter Botte of the New York Post. “What an incredible pickup for the Knicks. I mean, as soon as I saw that, I said they are championship contenders, because he’s that good,” Atkinson said. “I think he’s really improved. His defense has improved since his first couple of years [in the NBA]. Heck of a player.”
The Raptors won’t have their top player against the Hornets on Wednesday. Scottie Barnes didn’t travel with the team on Tuesday to Charlotte. He’s undergoing medical assessments after taking an elbow to his right eye in the fourth quarter of Monday’s loss to Denver, Marc J. Spears of ESPN tweets. His condition will be updated on Wednesday.

Atlantic Notes: Schröder, Sixers, Holiday, Towns

October 28th, 2024 at 1:37pm CST by Tristan Tucker

The Nets acquired guard Dennis Schröder at the trade deadline last season and he’s established himself as an efficient producer in Brooklyn. Across 32 outings with the Nets, he has averaged 15.2 points and 6.1 assists per game while connecting on 42.8% of his shots from beyond the arc. In just three games this season, he’s shooting a scorching 55.6% clip from three (6.0 attempts) and averaging 20.7 PPG as a full-time starter.

According to ClutchPoints’ Erik Slater (Twitter link), Schröder’s continues to signal that he’s interested in staying in Brooklyn long term.

“When I first got traded here, they texted my mom, texted my wife, sent them flowers,” Schröder said. “I love things like that. My teammates from the first day were talking to me, and they made me feel comfortable. That’s all you can ask for. The front office and all those guys, social media guys, everybody is just cool and making sure the players are straight. That’s the reason why I can see myself being here long-term.

“… But it’s a business at the same time, and whenever a decision is made, I just go with it and always remind myself that it’s the best league in the world. So it doesn’t matter where [I’m playing]. Even if I get traded, I always gotta see the positive side of it. But I want to stay here.”

Schröder is under contract through the rest of this season for about $13MM. He’s set to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason.

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The Sixers are determining their identity without stars Joel Embiid and Paul George, writes The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey. “We’ve got a lot of pulling it together, figuring out who we are and all that kind of stuff,” head coach Nick Nurse said before Sunday’s first victory of the season. “I know everybody wants to win yesterday, right? But understand, it’s not that easy to do.” Neither Embiid nor George are participating in five-on-five drills yet. Andre Drummond is holding down the middle with Embiid out, while players like KJ Martin, Jared McCain and Guerschon Yabusele have seen some extended run off the bench.
Boston swung for the fences last year by making moves to add Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, the latter of which came just before the season. The Athletic’s Jared Weiss writes that the team’s faith in Holiday led to the Celtics‘ 18th title, and they’ll continue to rely on him in their efforts to repeat. “When Jrue’s at his best, he’s not thinking,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said. “He’s just instinctually reacting and he can change a defensive possession and change an entire game.“
Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau coached Karl-Anthony Towns in Minnesota, helping lead the Timberwolves to a playoff appearance that ended a 13-season drought in 2017-18. However, the Wolves got out to a 19-21 start in the following season and Thibodeau was out. Now, according to Newsday’s Barbara Baker, Thibodeau is excited about getting the chance to coach an older, wiser version of Towns. “You can have a player young in their career and they tend to want to get themselves established first,” Thibodeau said. “As they mature and get older, they realize it’s very difficult to do it individually. You have to do it collectively.“

New York Notes: McBride, Towns, Claxton, Fernandez

October 28th, 2024 at 8:00am CST by Arthur Hill

Miles McBride is a player development success story for the Knicks and has a chance to be the team’s first Sixth Man of the Year in more than a decade, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. The fourth-year guard didn’t play much in his first two seasons, but he got coach Tom Thibodeau’s attention by improving his game behind the scenes. He emerged as a rotation member last season and has become a vital part of the second unit following the team’s offseason moves.

“From the front office down to the coaching staff and my teammates, there has been a lot of belief in me,” McBride said. “It gives me a lot of confidence to go out there and do what I do.”

After trading RJ Barrett and Immanuel Quickley to Toronto last year, New York signed McBride to a three-year, $13MM extension that’s turning out to be a team-friendly contract. Edwards notes that the organization’s faith in McBride made it easier to part with Donte DiVincenzo last month in the deal for Karl-Anthony Towns.

“Every time he was called upon, he was ready,” Thibodeau said. “I think it was a byproduct of the work ethic. When he went down to the G League, he played really well. Anytime he was thrust into the rotation, he played really well in those situations.”

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Towns appreciates having more chances to play in front of his family after the Knicks acquired him from Minnesota, per Ethan Sears of The New York Post. His father still coaches in New Jersey at the school where Towns once played. “It’s special to be around family more often,” Towns said. “My niece and nephew being able to be at more of my games and being able to see them grow up on my off-days. It’s really special. Definitely special to be back home.”
Nic Claxton is still coming off the Nets‘ bench after missing the preseason with a hamstring injury, but he looks close to reclaiming his starting job, observes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Claxton played a season-high 22 minutes Sunday night, helping to control Giannis Antetokounmpo while posting 10 points, 11 boards and two blocks. “I’m still finding [my rhythm]. I’m still finding it,” Claxton said. “It’s gonna take some time. But I felt better today being out there just helping out trying to just make something positive happen on every single possession. And I did that.”
The Nets gave Jordi Fernandez his first win as an NBA head coach on Sunday, Lewis adds in a separate story. It was extra special because his family flew in from Spain to watch the game. “You have to enjoy this moment, because there’s only one time that you’re the head coach when you win a [first] game,” he said. “On the other hand, I also feel like what’s the next step, and we’ve got to move on to the next thing. I want to be in this league, I want to be with this club for a long time.”

Knicks Notes: Towns, Bridges, Hart, Robinson

October 26th, 2024 at 8:37pm CST by Arthur Hill

Playing his first home game at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, Karl-Anthony Towns looked to be well worth the price the Knicks paid to acquire him from Minnesota, writes Andrew Crane of The New York Post. Towns was the centerpiece of the offense as New York dismantled Indiana by 25 points. He finished with 21 points, 15 rebounds, two blocks, a steal and 10 free-throw attempts while appearing comfortable operating under coach Tom Thibodeau’s system once again.

“I just always want to impose a lot of energy into the game and amplify my teammates,” Towns said, “and I thought that was a good opportunity [with the dunk] to get some energy instilled to us — and the crowd obviously was bringing a lot of energy.”

The Knicks were successful with Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein in the middle last season, but they haven’t had a center who can score like Towns for a long time. Jalen Brunson is excited about the potential for the offense as team chemistry continues to improve.

“I’m learning a lot,” Brunson said of playing with Towns. “He has so much gravity on the floor when he’s out there. People have to respect that. Obviously, he’s one of the best shooters in the league.”

There’s more from New York:

Mikal Bridges seems to have calmed any fears about his jump shot, per Peter Botte of The New York Post. There were concerns about Bridges’ shooting mechanics heading into the season, but he went 8-of-12 from the field on Friday and scored 21 points. “No one is gonna shoot great for 82 games,” Thibodeau said. “Oftentimes, you’re in preseason and just trying to work through things and get in a rhythm, and you’re trying to figure out a new system and new teammates. And each day, that gets better and better. But if you think logically, this guy has shot almost 38% from three for his career. Me, I’d bet on that.”
The Knicks displayed resiliency after getting blown out by Boston on opening night, notes Chris Herring of ESPN. The defense was much more aggressive, forcing a rare scoreless night by Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton. “Whenever you get your butt kicked on national TV in the NBA, it means you have to step it up,” Josh Hart said.
A source tells Stefan Bondy of The New York Post that Robinson is still expected to return from ankle surgery in December or January, but that timetable could change. Robinson hasn’t talked to reporters since undergoing the operation in May, but he updated his condition Thursday in a livestream video on social media. “You seen what happened when I rushed to come back? I was back out,” Robinson said. “At this point, I gotta make sure I’m good for life, too. C’mon, now. Let’s not be selfish here. … But we’re going to be good. We’re going to be all right. We’re going to be okay. Promise you, we’re going to be straight.”

Atlantic Notes: Bridges, Towns, Tatum, Thomas, Shead

October 23rd, 2024 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Neither of the Knicks‘ two major offseason acquisitions got off to the sort of start they were hoping for this season on Tuesday night in Boston.

While Mikal Bridges salvaged his night to some extent by making 7-of-8 shots for 16 points in the second half, he went scoreless on 0-of-5 shooting in the first two quarters, didn’t grab a single rebound in his 35 minutes on the court, and was a team-worst minus-33 in his Knicks debut, writes Peter Botte of The New York Post. Bridges also admitted he wasn’t at his best defensively against Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, who poured in 37 points.

“I definitely could have done better. I think my performance at the defensive end wasn’t that (good) for me personally, as well as our team,” Bridges said. “Me personally, I think I just could have been better, especially (against) a guy getting it and having that rhythm from the three, just getting up a little bit more (on Tatum).”

Meanwhile, Karl-Anthony Towns had a relatively quiet night in his first game as a Knick, scoring 12 points and recording seven rebounds. The Celtics also frequently targeted him in screening actions, as Botte writes in a separate New York Post story. Like Bridges, Towns didn’t express concern about New York’s offense, but said the defense needs to be better.

“I just think that we just didn’t do enough defensively to give ourselves a chance to win the game,” the four-time All-Star said. “We’ve just gotta do a better job of executing on that end. Our defensive identity is what’s gonna give us a chance to do something great. Offensively, I think we showed tonight we can score, we’ve just gotta play defense.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

Ahead of Tuesday’s regular season opener, Tatum spoke to Marc J. Spears of Andscape about what it means to have won his first title and why he believes the Celtics are well positioned to win another championship.
None of the three Nets players eligible for rookie scale extensions signed a new contract before Monday’s deadline, but that was expected, since Day’Ron Sharpe and Ziaire Williams have played limited roles in their first three NBA seasons and extending Cam Thomas would’ve eaten into Brooklyn’s projected 2025 cap room. As Brian Lewis of The New York Post relays, Thomas said on Tuesday he’s not bothered by not having completed a deal, while head coach Jordi Fernandez told reporters he didn’t feel the need to discuss the guard’s contract situation with him. “Yeah, conversations have been great. I think he’s in a good place, and I didn’t see anything that I should go and talk to him about it, the way he feels,” Fernandez said. “I think he’s been great. He’s done his job, and we have a clear path and direction for what we’re trying to do.”
In an in-depth feature for Sportsnet.ca, Blake Murphy takes a closer look at what the Raptors are getting in Jamal Shead, a “high-IQ, high-motor” rookie guard who may have been overlooked this offseason as the third of four players selected by Toronto in the 2024 draft. “Jamal actually should have gone in the first round,” Kelvin Sampson, Shead’s former coach at Houston, said of the No. 45 pick. “There’s such an undervaluing of the things that he does well. … If you’re a coach, you want Jamal. All he does is win.”

Warriors Rumors: George, Markkanen, Towns, Expectations

October 22nd, 2024 at 3:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr., who spent a year as teammates with Paul George in Indiana in 2010/11, “led the charge” in the team’s efforts to acquire the star forward from the Clippers in June before George declined his player option and became a free agent this summer, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

As Slater outlines, Dunleavy got Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and head coach Steve Kerr involved in the recruitment of George, who was on board with the idea of picking up his player option and getting traded to Golden State. However, the Clippers decided they’d be better off not taking on significant salary in a trade with the Warriors.

“Paul George wanted to come here,” Green said. “So shout out to Mike. The Clippers just wouldn’t do (an opt-in and trade).”

There’s still some “fading frustration” within the organization about the failed pursuit of George, according to Slater, who says the Warriors may argue the Clippers underestimated their chances of losing the forward for nothing in free agency.

While Golden State’s subsequent pursuit of Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen was viewed as a Plan B after missing out on George, Slater says it was actually part of Plan A and that the Warriors initially wanted to land both players.

“The conversation was always about that possibility,” Green said. “You get both of those guys, you make a huge splash. But the Clippers weren’t really willing to play ball. Then (Jazz CEO) Danny Ainge was being Danny Ainge.”

The Warriors had hoped they’d be able to acquire George while preserving enough assets to meet Ainge’s asking price for Markkanen, Slater explains. They still talked to Utah about Markkanen after striking out on PG13, but at that point Dunleavy felt it wasn’t the right move for the team to go all-in for the Jazz forward.

“Mike is very sensible,” Kerr said. “He just said to me, ‘It doesn’t make sense to sell your entire future for a team that you think can be pretty good, but isn’t awesome, right?’ Especially at this stage with the ages of our stars.”

Here’s more out of Golden State:

The Warriors also spoke to the Timberwolves about a possible Karl-Anthony Towns trade before he was dealt from Minnesota to New York, league sources tell Slater. However, the Wolves targeted a specific Knicks package that the Warriors couldn’t replicate.
Despite striking out on top trade targets this summer, the Warriors are high on the players they added – Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield, and De’Anthony Melton – and are more bullish than outsiders about their chances this season. According to Slater, the Warriors’ internal models have them in the top six in the West and there has been talk within the organization that 50-plus wins should be the expectation.
Still, that doesn’t mean the Warriors won’t continue to keep an eye out for a chance to acquire an impact player who could help take them to the next level. “We’re sitting about as good as we could, subject to the point that we didn’t catch the big fish that we were going after,” team owner Joe Lacob told Slater. “But that doesn’t mean we won’t. It just means we didn’t yet.”
Dunleavy told reporters on Tuesday that the Warriors aren’t concerned about not having reached an agreement on a contract extension for Jonathan Kuminga before Monday’s deadline, per Kendra Andrews of ESPN (Twitter link). “Not much has changed in regards to our hopes for his future with this team,” Dunleavy said. “Sometimes these things get done, sometimes they don’t. … Hope to get something done in the offseason.”

Knicks Notes: Hart, Bridges, Towns, Payne

October 19th, 2024 at 8:28pm CST by Arthur Hill

Josh Hart played an important role in the Knicks‘ playoff run, but now he’s trying to figure out how he fits into the team’s revamped lineup, writes Steve Popper of The New York Post. Offseason trades for Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns have raised the talent level, but it may take some time for all the pieces to come together.

“There’s a couple days we have until Boston (in the season opener),” Hart said after Friday’s preseason loss to Washington. “So whether that’s trying to get a rhythm with that starting unit or we give somebody else a look and my role changes and comes off the bench and go with that unit. So just trying to figure out right now; I pretty much have no idea. But we’ll see what happens in Boston.’’

It’s been a particularly rough adjustment for Hart, whose first quarter layup on Friday night represented his only points in four preseason games. He took just seven shots in that span, which is a sign that he might be deferring more than ever with two new stars on the team.

“[Jalen Brunson] and KAT’s our engine,” Hart said. “I feel like we played pretty well this preseason. So I’m cool with that. I just think we can just figure out a way where we can be our best selves or whatever — roles or minutes.”

There’s more on the Knicks:

It has also been a rough preseason for Bridges, who has been misfiring since making an offseason change to his shot mechanics, according to Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Bridges is trying to eliminate a hitch in his shot and rediscover the comfort he had at Villanova, but the early results haven’t been good. He missed all 10 of his three-point attempts on Friday and shot just 11% from beyond the arc in four games. “When I came out of college, I kind of tweaked it a little bit,” Bridges said. “And then my second year in the league, I had the hitch and tried to build back from that ever since. So just trying to get it right.”
In an appearance on the Roommates Show podcast with Hart and Brunson (video link), Towns said he learned about the trade to New York four minutes before Shams Charania broke the news on Twitter. Towns added that he respects Timberwolves president of basketball operations Tim Connelly for coming to his house and telling him about the deal in person, but he was caught off guard because he was expecting to retire in Minnesota.
Cameron Payne gave a fake name and incorrect date of birth to police when they were called to investigate a disturbance involving his girlfriend in June in Scottdale, Arizona, per Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic. The police bodycam footage can be viewed here.

Knicks Notes: DiVincenzo, Bridges, Towns, Toughness

October 15th, 2024 at 1:26pm CST by Luke Adams

Before facing his former team in New York on Sunday, Donte DiVincenzo dismissed the notion that he was disgruntled by the possibility of a role reduction with the Knicks following their acquisition of Mikal Bridges.

Multiple reports in the wake of the trade sending DiVincenzo from the Knicks to the Timberwolves suggested he wasn’t thrilled about potentially moving to the bench after a career year, with one claiming he was “really unhappy” about the idea. DiVincenzo called that “completely untrue,” as Stefan Bondy of The New York Post relays.

“Obviously everyone wants to start coming off the season I had last year, but I also understand that there’s different lineups and different combinations that teams want to get to – I understand that. It was never a thing of, ‘Oh, we got Mikal, I’m pissed off.’ I was super excited,” DiVincenzo told Bondy. “Take the Villanova s–t out of it, I was super excited because we have a very good player coming back to the team. And you get OG (Anunoby) back, now you’re looking at, ‘Wow we’re going to be really good.’

“There was never a conversation of my role was going to be diminished. There was never a conversation that my minutes would be diminished. It was the outside assumption and ran with it and it was untrue.”

While DiVincenzo admitted that he was caught off guard when he first heard about his move to Minnesota, he said he got on board with the deal quickly and that he’s not holding any sort of grudge toward the Knicks for trading him away after a year in which he set the franchise’s single-season record for three-pointers.

“Initially, you never want to get traded. So I was kind of upset, I was kind of hurt,” DiVincenzo said. “… And my mind went right to (the Timberwolves). …. It was an easy transition. There were no angry feelings, no mad feelings, nothing like that. It was an initial, ‘Damn, I got traded.’ And you move on to the next thing. It was all love.”

Here’s more on the Knicks:

Having expressed enthusiasm about how his own roster looks after the Karl-Anthony Towns trade, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch also heaped praise on the Knicks for the work they’ve done to upgrade their squad since last season ended, per Adam Zagoria of NJ.com. “I mean, how can you not like this team?” Finch asked rhetorically. “They got two-way players all over the place. That’s what you gotta you have in the game to win today at a high level. … They have great versatility, they’re gonna spread you out, they got toughness, they’re super well-coached. I think (Bridges and Towns) naturally fit into Tom (Thibodeau)‘s personality and system.”
After playing alongside a four-time Defensive Player of the Year center (Rudy Gobert) for the last two seasons, Towns will have to adjust to playing the five in New York and take on the defensive responsibilities that come along with his new role. As Peter Botte of The New York Post details, Towns is embracing that challenge. “It’s just accepting the responsibility of being the person who’s quarterbacking and anchoring the defense,” Towns said, adding that wings like Bridges, Anunoby, and Josh Hart will help make life easier for him.
The Knicks’ roster looks more talented than last season’s group, but will it be able to match the toughness of the 2023/24 squad after losing DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, and Isaiah Hartenstein? Steve Popper of Newsday considers that question.

Timberwolves Notes: DiVincenzo, Towns, Randle

October 14th, 2024 at 8:33am CST by Luke Adams

Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo had a brief verbal altercation with Knicks assistant Rick Brunson in his return to New York on Sunday, as Chris Herring of ESPN and James L. Edwards III and Jon Krawczynski of the Athletic write. DiVincenzo and Brunson exchanged words after the game when players and coaches were shaking hands before exiting the court, but the former Knick downplayed the incident when speaking to reporters later.

“Just some words. I don’t fully know what was said. A lot of people there,” DiVincenzo said, per The Athletic. “But I really have no comment on the situation. We’re both grown men and can talk about it privately.”

“Two people talking,” Rick’s son Jalen Brunson said. “Words of affirmation.”

DiVincenzo was caught on camera in the first quarter talking to the Knicks’ bench before he attempted a free throw (Twitter video link). He explained to reporters after the game that he was sharing an inside joke with Thibodeau, though league sources tell The Athletic that some of his comments were directed to the elder Brunson. At one point, DiVincenzo appeared to say, “That’s what happens when they let you run the show.”

Here’s more on the Wolves:

DiVincenzo has “quickly become a favorite within the Timberwolves organization,” tweets Krawczynski, adding that the team loves both his skill set and mentality. Anthony Edwards expressed that sentiment during his post-game media session on Sunday, per Herring. “He makes all the right plays and shoots the cover off the ball,” Edwards said of his new teammate. “New York is definitely going to miss him.”
In a feature story for The Athletic, James L. Edwards III takes a look at DiVincenzo’s journey from a scout team decoy at Villanova to a Final Four star to one of the NBA’s most coveted role players.
Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns said there were “a lot of emotions” on Sunday reuniting with former Timberwolves teammates who were like “brothers” during his tenure in Minnesota, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune (subscription required). Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch had nothing but praise for his former star big man, acknowledging that it would take a while to get used to seeing Towns in a different uniform. “It’s like a death in the family in some ways,” Finch said. “You got to make it through that first year, and everything is going to be a little odd.”
In his Sunday return to New York, new Timberwolves forward Julius Randle wasn’t looking to dwell on or reminisce about his Knicks tenure, telling reporters that he has “unfinished business” to focus on in Minnesota, as Stefan Bondy of The New York Post relays. Randle also expressed enthusiasm about Finch giving him more play-making responsibilities this season. “I’m excited to be able to show that,” the veteran forward said. “Not just from the post, getting double-teamed. Finch is moving me all over the floor, allowing me to be able show that stuff. I’m excited about that.”

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