Keeping Karl-Anthony Towns likely would have meant trading Naz Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker

Early indications suggest the Randle family is embracing a stunning change of scenery. After Friday night’s trade in which the Knicks sent Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, DaQuan Jeffries and a first-round draft pick to the Timberwolves in exchange for Karl-Anthony Towns, Randle’s wife, Kendra, has shared a couple positive reactions. On her Instagram stories, Kendra re-shared a post by ESPN’s NBA account that had a picture of her husband Photoshopped into a Timberwolves jersey with the caption, “Minnesota could be looking scary next season.” Kendra added five eye-heart emojis to signal her affection for the move. -via New York Post / September 28, 2024

Thibodeau has worked with Towns before when the coach headed the Timberwolves and Towns, now 28, was coming of age. They were an imperfect match then. Before a game at Madison Square Garden last season, Towns put any question that the two have issues to rest. “I ain’t got no problems with Thibs,” Towns said then. “We squashed that. I still look at Thibs as one of the best coaches, best X’s and O’s guys I’ve ever been able to play for. He’s a winner.” A source close to Thibodeau insisted the coach feels the same way. “If a guy can play,” the source said, “Thibs wants him.” -via New York Times / September 28, 2024

In Towns, the Knicks acquired the player they’ve pursued for years. They contacted the Timberwolves about Towns a couple of years ago, last year and again after that, according to league sources. Their eyes have wandered since team president Leon Rose took over in 2020 after leaving the basketball division at CAA, the agency that represents Towns. Now, Rose finally has his guy. -via New York Times / September 28, 2024

Jon Krawczynski: The Wolves see this as a way of adding depth, leaning in on Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels and Naz Reid and lengthening the window of competitiveness. They have long coveted Donte DiVincenzo. Julius Randle’s scoring can help. The Detroit 1st is a significant asset moving forward. -via x.com / September 27, 2024

NBA Central: 76. Ivica Zubac, 82 overall 77. Jonas Valančiūnas, 82 overall 78. Coby White, 81 overall 79. Cam Thomas, 81 overall 80. Immanuel Quickley, 81 overall 81. Mike Conley, 81 overall 82. Anfernee Simons, 81 overall 83. Austin Reaves, 81 overall 84. Brandon Miller, 81 overall 85. Klay Thompson, 81 overall 86. RJ Barrett, 81 overall 87. Andrew Nembhard, 81 overall 88. Chris Paul, 81 overall 89. Devin Vassell, 81 overall 90. D’Angelo Russell, 81 overall 91. Miles Bridges, 81 overall 92. Naz Reid, 81 overall 93. Isaiah Hartenstein, 81 overall 94. Nikola Vucevic, 81 overall 95. Daniel Gafford, 81 overall 96. Nicolas Claxton, 81 overall 97. Jalen Duren, 81 overall 98. Dereck Lively II, 81 overall 99. Keegan Murray, 80 overall 100. Jaden McDaniels, 80 overall -via x.com / August 26, 2024

The Addisons hope that Naz Reid has only just started to lift Cayden. Reid linked up with Cayden through NMDP, formerly known as the National Marrow Donor Program and Be The Match, to help raise awareness for the need for more people, particularly those of color, to get registered to become a potential blood stem cell donor. This is a personal fight for Reid. In the spring of 2022, when the Timberwolves were in the playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies, Reid lost Rudy Roundtree, a beloved father figure to cancer. Roundtree had helped look after Reid from his teen years through the start of his NBA career. When Roundtree fell ill, doctors tried to get him strong enough to become eligible for a stem cell transplant, but he died before that happened. -via New York Times / August 22, 2024