(The original text was published on June 7, and the authors were the Timberwolves recorder Jon Krawczynski and the Knicks recorder James L. Edwards III on The Athletic website. The content of the article does not represent the translator's opinion)

Last Friday night, September 29, Towns was having a small gathering with his father and several friends at his home in the suburbs of Minneapolis when he suddenly heard a knock on the door. Standing outside the door was Timberwolves' president of basketball operations Tim Connelly, who brought a bottle of tequila as a gift, while some difficult news that had to be informed in person was to be conveyed.

The crowd gathered in the kitchen island, and Connelly told Towns bluntly that the Timberwolves had agreed to trade him to the Knicks in exchange for Randall, Divinzenzo and a Pistons' future first-round draft pick. The room fell into silence in an instant. Towns played for the Timberwolves for the first nine years of his career, and will report to the 10th year team training camp in two days. As the team's appearance tied with Edwards, Towns just helped the team return to the Western Conference Finals after 20 years. He understands the business nature of the league and understands that the team may adjust its lineup after losing to the Mavericks. But when the core lineup has not changed significantly throughout the summer, Towns is ready to continue to fight side by side with his teammates and launch another sprint towards the championship.

"I never thought of leaving," Towns told The Athletic in December, "but fate arranged a different path for me, and I was completely confused at the time."

It was not the only one who was surprised. Just a week before the deal was concluded, Connelly was satisfied with starting the new season with almost the same lineup, which was the team that lost 1-4 to the Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals. He knew that the Timberwolves would eventually face a salary explosion, but the deal negotiations with the Knicks had made no progress. Connelly understands that to trade players of the Towns level, it must be exchanged for financial flexibility and immediate combat power in order to keep the team competitive.

Until that late autumn Friday, the Knicks finally gave a satisfactory offer and the transaction was quickly concluded.

Four days ago, in New York, on the other end of the United States, Randall was giving back to the city. Over the past five years, he has given too much.

At that time, the people in New York gave him his last gift.

Randall stood on the temporary stage, surrounded by local community residents, Knicks legends and active players, as well as NBA president Adam Xiao Hua. Randall became the focus of the audience at the groundbreaking ceremony for Earl Monroe New Revival Basketball High School in the South Bronx. As a long-time supporter of the school, Randall promised through his personal foundation that he would donate $500 for every three-pointer in the regular season.

But this player who has been selected as an All-Star in his career did not know that some of the ceremony was set to pay tribute to him. Randall looked very surprised when the school announced that it would name the school basketball court after him.

"What a special moment," Randall sighed in the Knicks' official Ins event video, "It's a great honor to be involved. These kids are creating extraordinary achievements, please continue to pay attention. What's even better is that I have a stadium named after myself, which feels so cool."

"Looking forward to meeting you again soon, the new season will be exciting."

Randall and the Knicks executives who came to support them specially witnessed this moment together. But among the more than a hundred people on the scene, only a few knew one secret: the All-Star player, who was in a deadlock in negotiations with the team for renewal, may have entered the countdown.

Just shortly after Connelly visited the Towns home, the Knicks' team had resumed work in Tarretown, New York. The annual media day event kicked off, and the team's lineup was significantly thin. Although the Timberwolves' trading agreement with the Knicks has been exposed by the media, it has not been officially completed yet. Every player and coach interviewed have to pretend to be ignorant of the heavy trade of the Shock League.

"We got Towns?!" When asked about the deal, Josh Hart looked at the team's public relations head in shock, "Wow! It was a surprise!"

The deal took several days to finalize. At the moment of official announcement, two teams that were determined to go further in the divisional playoffs changed their appearance, and the final result was just as they wished.

The Knicks and the Timberwolves experienced their respective growth pains in the days, weeks and even months after the transaction. But both teams overcome difficulties and advance to the division finals: Towns became the key contributor to the Knicks' first Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years; Randall showed the style of a top player in the playoffs during the Timberwolves' Western Conference journey where the Timberwolves successively eliminated the Lakers and Warriors.

In the end, one of the biggest deals of the season made a win-win situation. In this rare super deal, both sides seem to get the desired result.

"If I asked the management of both teams last year: 'The worst case is to stop the division final?' I think even with a higher goal, we may accept this result." Connelly admitted this week, "But the whole process is actually full of fun. It is really gratifying to see every player involved in the transaction perform well, not to mention that they are extremely excellent players."

Trading motivation traceability

On the eve of the training camp last year, the Knicks suddenly learned that center Mitchell Robinson's injury time would be far beyond expectations. The big man suffered multiple ankle injuries the previous season. At first, the Knicks thought he could catch up with the opening match of the new season, and then his comeback was postponed to December, and eventually to February of the following year.

Knicks management has placed a heavy bet on the existing lineup, aiming to become a real contender in the Eastern Conference. In December last year, the Knicks exchanged Barrett, Quickley and a second-round pick from the Raptors for Anunobi, and signed a five-year, $212 million contract extension with him in June last year.. First of all, his chemistry with Gobert is the best in the team. Towns can always take the initiative to send an alley for Gobert in the half-court offense, forcing his opponent not to let go of the defensive gate. One of the season's troughs occurred when Gobert deliberately stayed in the penalty area to create a three-second violation in protest against Randall's refusal to pass him.

Secondly, the Timberwolves were troubled by the stubborn disease of "not being strong" in the regular season: they lost to the Trail Blazers in the Remnant Team, lost to the Wizards at home, lost to the Jazz, and lost to the Heat who lacked Butler, the Bucks who lacked Antetokounmpo and Lillard, and four Pacers who lacked the starting lineup. Relevant people in the team privately admitted that if Towns had the talent at the level of his position, he would have won most of the games to strive for a better playoff ranking.

Even though Towns shines in New York, Knicks fans are also worried. In the past few seasons, this iron-blooded team has returned to the ranks of strong teams with a hard-core style that is highly compatible with the city spirit.

The Knicks in the 2023-24 season pushed this trait to the peak. They put their best every night to reshape the team's culture with top defense. This is like a long drought and rain for fans who have been able to pin their hopes on players such as Nelikina, Damiyan Dosen for 20 years.

Randle is not loved by all Knicks fans. His sometimes undefensive and sticky attributes have attracted a lot of criticism, but New York fans always respect him. The dawn of the Knicks' reconstruction overlaps with the Randall era. From 2021 to 2024, he helped the team enter the playoffs three times (two breakthroughs in the first round), while from 2014 to 2020, the Knicks never tasted the playoffs. Although Randle was selected as All-Star three times in five years, most fans did not feel sorry when the management decided to change the course.

The one that really caused collective anxiety was Divincenzo's departure.

New York fans have long fallen in love with the "Three Villanovas" - the golden partner of Divincenzo, Brunson and Hart. Their chemistry on and off the court is obvious to all, and the reunion of these three college teammates has brought the team its first 50-win season in a decade. Especially when facing the 76ers in the second round of the 2024 playoffs, Divincenzona's final three-pointer that has been recorded in history will always be engraved in the hearts of Knicks fans.

With Divincenzo leaving the team, the bench, which was already weakened by Mitchell Robinson's injury and tight salary space, made it worse. There are concerns about whether Towns' joining is enough to compensate for the loss of Divencenzo and the precious draft pick, after all, there are few quality draft picks that the Knicks can operate.

Leak the cocoon into a butterfly

Despite the pain in the first three months of the season, the Timberwolves remained cohesive. It is quite dramatic that the successive injuries between the end of January and early February of this year (absenting 13 games with groin strain) and Divincenzo (received 19 games with toe injuries and 19 games after just five starts) have become a turning point for the team to run in.

The two new players witnessed the team's tenacity on the sidelines. Randall admitted that this observation period made him more clear about how to integrate into the system. The comeback against the Suns on March 2 became a turning point, and the Timberwolves then finished with 17 wins and 4 losses, from the play-off zone to sixth in the Western Conference.

Randle transformed into the core of the organization rather than the main attacker, Divincenzo regained the outside star, and the Timberwolves eliminated the Lakers and Warriors 4-1 in the first two rounds of the playoffs, returning to the Western Conference Finals with a strong return. Compared with last year's "dark horse" posture, this journey is more precious because every step has been tempered.

"We have always been united and face adversity together." Randle said after the Timberwolves eliminated the Warriors. "This tenacity and determination to firmly believe in the team's potential has allowed everyone to break through the bottleneck. I am extremely proud of everyone on the team."

The Knicks rebounded quickly after 6 wins and 6 losses at the beginning of the season, and won 9 wins in the next 12 games and calmed down doubts. By the beginning of the new year, they were firmly among the top teams in the league. The offensive end fully fulfilled the management's idea: Brunson played his best career performance, and Towns became an outside killer with a 43% terrifying three-point shooting percentage (as of December 31 last year). During this period, the Knicks ranked second in the league in offensive efficiency, and their defense was firmly in the middle, with a record of 24 wins and 10 losses after the New Year.

Brunson and Towns were both selected as All-Stars. "Maintaining stability is our top priority," Brunson emphasized during the winning streak, "this is exactly the direction of the team's focus." However, as the season deepened, the Knicks' shortcomings gradually exposed. Although the offensive data in the first 35 games were impressive, the team's three-point shooting has never been many. The teams began to use mobile wings to guard Towns, and at the same time sent the center to face Hart. This defensive strategy completely disrupted the Knicks' offensive rhythm and caused the team's record to decline since January.

Although Brunson and Towns' personal data are still dazzling, the team's offensive efficiency has dropped to the 16th in the league (from January 1 to the end of the regular season). In the last 49 games, they only achieved 28 wins and 21 losses. At the same time, they lost all 10 games against powerful teams such as the Celtics, the Cavaliers and the Thunder. Even against mid-range teams, they narrowly won. If Brunson hadn't continued to perform a solo ride to save the Lord from the end of February to early March, the Knicks' ranking might have dropped to fifth in the East.

Talent finally makes up for most of the shortcomings. The Knicks finally narrowly beat opponents such as the Pacers and Bucks in the rankings, ending the regular season with third place in the Eastern Conference, facing the young and energetic Pistons in the first round.

Despite the superior strength on paper, the Knicks are in a tough battle with the Pistons. The series played six games, and the Knicks fell behind in the final quarter many times. With the rotational explosions of Brunson, Towns and Bridges, they narrowly advanced to the second round and will face the defending champion Celtics - a top team that performed well in the regular season against the Knicks. The script of the second round of the series is exactly the same. The Knicks fell behind 20 points in the first game and completed an epic reversal, and made another 14 points in the second game. The Knicks faced a double-digit trail in almost every game of the entire series, but finally settled the battle six times. Coach Thibodeau gave Towns a single defense of the Celtics star, and his defensive performance reached the best of the season. This iron army that never gives up has returned to the Eastern Conference Finals after 25 years.

"When we were in the desperate situation of the playoffs, we always believed that we would not lose." Towns said, "If you want to go further, you must have this belief. We proved this in this round of series, and we can always find a way to win in the last moment. But this is more special. We can reverse when we are more than 20 points behind, which is a portrayal of team spirit." The win-win transaction

The results of the win-win transaction

means everything.

Timberwolves reached the division final for two consecutive years for the first time in history. Interestingly, after losing Towns, their offensive efficiency rose from 17th to 8th, but their defense slipped from 1st to 6th. He won seven games less in the regular season, but eventually reached the same height.

Although Divincenzo occasionally has fluctuations, he used a two-year, $24.5 million worth of contract to provide a tough shooter for the Timberwolves bench. "The fans made me and my family feel a sense of belonging in an instant," he sighed. "This is just the beginning, we have had an extraordinary year." Randall averaged 23.9 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.9 assists in the first two rounds of the playoffs. He and his wife Kendra soon fell in love with life in Minnesota with two young sons and newborn daughter (just arrived last month). “I’m completely used to it here and even used to special experiences like March blizzards,” he said with a smile. “It feels cool, I might spend the summer here.”

Despite the exciting achievements of the Timberwolves, there are still variables in the future. Randle has the player option this summer. His outstanding performance in the first two rounds of the playoffs originally gave him little suspense to renew his contract and stay with the team, but his poor performance against the Thunder in the Western Conference Finals (17.4 points and 3.6 turnovers per game, the team was eliminated 1-4) brought everything back to the negotiating table.

Connelly expressed his hope to keep Randle, but it is not ruled out that the Timberwolves will be closer to the championship through a blockbuster deal. “Maintaining financial flexibility is crucial to this season,” he admitted.

The Pistons unexpectedly entered the playoffs and also helped. The first round pick protected by the Knicks was cashed out (the No. 17 sign), which is of great significance to Ingober's trade for the Timberwolves, who lost their own first round pick.

The Knicks undoubtedly achieved success this season: 51 wins have achieved the best record in more than ten years, and entered the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years. Brunson and Towns were both selected for the best team.

But the team atmosphere was not excited by the breakthrough. In the second half of the season, the Knicks locker room always emphasized "let yourself down" and "sacrifice spirit", and this group of talented players never failed to form a stable chemical reaction. "The locker room is full of good brothers," said Towns. "I hope it will go further next year." The deal gave the Knicks the best record in decades, but management is still not satisfied. After losing to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference Final G6, they fired Coach Thibodeau and will continue to chase the championship under the leadership of the new head coach in the new season.

The new head coach must solve two major problems: how to reverse the Knicks' negative net efficiency since January 1 and make up for the double-star defensive loopholes. It is not ruled out that the Knicks will continue to adjust their lineup after changing coaches. Considering only from the contract perspective, if the management decides to pursue bigger-name stars, Towns may become a victim.

But overall, Towns' first season in New York was a success: he entered the top 15 in the league, ranked second in the rebounding list with 12.8 rebounds per game, and even scored 20 points in the G3 in the Eastern Conference Final to lead the reversal.

However, in the face of more than 50 years of desire to be without a crown, any changes may occur this summer. "Our only goal is to bring a championship to the fans." Knicks president Leon Ross emphasized in a statement to fire coach Thiboddeau that the most successful Knicks coach of the century failed to meet the standards after all.

Looking at the big picture, this rare big deal achieved a win-win situation. Both teams stood on the stage of the division finals and dedicated a wonderful journey to the fans. But they all understand that they are still "unfinished products" and are still short of the final puzzle from Ultimate Glory.

Original text: Jon Krawczynski & James L. Edwards III

Compiled by: Li Taibai