The New York Knicks have had an uneven start to the 2024-25 NBA season, recording one win and two losses in their first three games. Now, Tom Thibodeau’s squad heads to the Kaseya Center for a high-stakes game against the Miami Heat, aiming to secure a win that could give their season early momentum. Karl-Anthony Towns, one of New York’s key players, was asked about his upcoming face-off with Jimmy Butler and responded with an intriguing comment.
Towns and Butler briefly shared the court as teammates on the Minnesota Timberwolves during Butler’s 2017-2018 tenure. Although Towns was already emerging as a rising talent, differences between the two soon surfaced. They’ll now meet once again—Butler with the Heat and Towns with the Knicks—in a matchup that has captured fans’ attention.
Journalist Kristian Winfield shared on his official X account that, during an interview for the New York Daily News, Towns had an unexpected reaction when questioned about Butler. “Asked multiple times about his relationship with Jimmy Butler, Karl-Anthony Towns says: ‘I’m a Knick,’” Winfield reported, indicating that Towns was reluctant to offer any specifics about his former teammate.
What happened between Towns and Butler?
In 2018, Jimmy Butler was in contract renewal talks with the Timberwolves when he discovered that the team had extended more lucrative deals to several key players, including Towns. Dissatisfied, Butler ultimately declined the renewal and requested a trade—a wish that was soon granted.
Jimmy Butler #23 and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the Minnesota Timberwolves talk to each other during the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors as part of 2017 NBA Global Games China at Universidade Center on October 5, 2017 in Shenzhen, China.
The friction didn’t end there. During a practice session amid the contract disputes, Butler dominated a scrimmage against the starters, punctuating the display by yelling at coach Tom Thibodeau and Timberwolves management. The incident also included a heated exchange between Butler and Towns.
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“I know we had a moment where we were arguing with each other. He said some (expletive). I said some (expletive) back. I wasn’t going for that,” Towns later recalled on Podcast P with Paul George. “I remember the whole thing happened where he’s screaming at the people and everything… I guess practice is over,” Towns recounted.
Heat vs. Knicks: Renewed rivalries
Butler was eventually traded to the Philadelphia 76ers shortly after the incident, before making his way to Miami, where he’s now the franchise’s cornerstone. Towns, meanwhile, stayed with Minnesota until this season, when he made the move to New York.
Adding another layer of intrigue to the Butler-Towns storyline is the renewed rivalry between the Heat and the Knicks. The two franchises were known for their iconic battles in the late 90s, clashing in four consecutive NBA playoff series. They meet again at the Kaseya Center on Wednesday, ready to write the next chapter in a storied rivalry.
