In a blockbuster move, the Minnesota Timberwolves have traded Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks, according to KSTP’s Darren Wolfson.

The Timberwolves will receive Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round pick via Detroit as part of the trade.

Towns was drafted first overall out of the University of Kentucky by the Timberwolves in 2015 and has up to this point, spent his entire nine-year career in Minnesota.

Randle, another Kentucky alum, has spent 10 years in the NBA with the Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Pelicans and the Knicks.

DiVincenzo was drafted out of Villanova and has played with the Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors and Knicks in his six-year career.

Fans began hearing word overnight Friday that #32 — the player with the million-watt smile — had been traded.

“Definitely shocking for sure,” says Logan Harata, a clerk at the Pro Image shop at Mall of America.

“I believe I saw his Twitter post. He didn’t sound too happy,” notes Hunter Greene from New Berlin, Wis. “Probably caught him off guard.”

The near-decade that Towns has played for the Timberwolves has made him a fan favorite.

“I think it’s really sad,” says Parker Sisler from St. Peter. “He did a lot of great stuff for us when the franchise needed it.”

He says he was surprised at the timing, coming just before training camp.

“I mean I’m happy for him, he kind of gets back closer to home, but I’m sad for the team,” Sisler says.

Towns is originally from Edison, New Jersey.
 
Harata says the store is getting plenty of inquiries about Towns jerseys and tee shirts — and if they’re on sale as collector’s items.    

“Heavily talking about it, yeah,” he says. “I know there’s going to be some people rolling through here who are big KAT fans, myself included, who’ll end up grabbing one just ‘cos all he did for us.”

Many fans seem well aware of the financial factors of salary caps and Towns’ $50 million annual salary.

“I can see with how much money they spend on KAT’s contract, they want to free up some cap space and go sign up somebody,” Hunter explains. “That was the move to make.”

Still, some fans say they’re sad to see Towns go — including 12-year-old Colin Scanlon from St. Paul.

“Disappointed,” says Scanlon. “We won’t probably be as good. He was one of the most dominant players on our team.”

This will be the first time in a decade that Towns will not be attending Timberwolves training camp, which begins Tuesday.

Click here for KSTP’s full Minnesota Timberwolves coverage.