In a surprising move, the New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves shook up the NBA landscape by agreeing to a blockbuster trade. The Knicks acquired Karl-Anthony Towns in exchange for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a first-round pick from the Detroit Pistons.
The trade marks a significant shift for both franchises, as they aim for new beginnings with this trade. Randle, who had been a cornerstone of the Knicks for the past five years, shared his thoughts on the transition during his introductory press conference in Minnesota.
“It was a lot of emotion,” Randle admitted. “You spend a certain amount of time at a place—New York—going there five years ago, having a goal in mind to accomplish a lot of great things. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears put into that organization and uniform. Initially, it’s always gonna be a shock.”
“But for me, afterwards, I woke up the next morning and I was just really, really excited,” he continued. “It was a breath of fresh air. I’m excited to bring everything I’ve learned here over the past five years and help these guys out. My only goal here is to help. I want to help Ant, Rudy, Naz, all those guys. I want to help win a championship.”
Julius Randle #30 of the New York Knicks dribbles the ball against Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
Randle shows high praise for Anthony Edwards
When asked about his early impressions of Timberwolves’ star Anthony Edwards by Wolves radio announcer Alan Horton, Randle had nothing but praise for the 23-year-old and even predicted Edwards could become the best player in the world.
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“Ant’s got me by his side or whatever he needs,” Randle said. “I’m gonna be right there; he’s got a dog next to him that’s going to compete with him every night, so I’m excited.”
“He’s a generational talent,” Randle continued. “There are very few chances you get to play with a player like that. With the little bit of success I’ve had in this league, I just want to pass it along and help him in any way I can. Because, like I said, he has a chance to be one of the greatest players ever. He’s extremely talented, so you cherish opportunities to play with guys like that.”
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At just 23, Edwards has already established himself as one of the NBA’s top players. The two-time All-Star earned an All-NBA selection last season and led the Timberwolves to their first conference finals appearance in two decades.
