Some NBA execs feel Timberwolves won blockbuster trade

The Knicks are tied for third in NBA title odds, per ESPN Bet, after acquiring Karl-Anthony Towns from the Timberwolves, with many analysts giving them their best shot to return to the NBA Finals since 1999. 

However, some anonymous NBA executives believe Minnesota, which acquired Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo from New York, won the blockbuster trade that shook up the NBA landscape last weekend. 

During Thursday's edition of "NBA Today" on ESPN, insider Brian Windhorst revealed that executives he spoke to felt the Timberwolves got the better of the trade.

"I was kind of surprised over the last week at how many executives I talked to who felt like the Timberwolves won this trade," Windhorst said. "Which is not something that you would expect to hear when most people would agree the best player in the trade [Towns] went to the Knicks. I think what they're reacting to is how the Wolves were able to rebalance their roster in this trade — get Julius Randle, get DiVincenzo, who helps them off the bench. Give Rob Dillingham, their lottery pick some time, now he's maybe needed as much out of the gate with this."

Windhorst added that the move also helped Minnesota create financial flexibility since it previously had three max-level players in Towns, Rudy Gobert and Anthony Edwards locked up for the long haul. With Randle potentially coming off the books in 2025 and DiVincenzo on a cap-friendly contract, the Timberwolves now have more options to tinker with the roster to build around Edwards, their franchise star, rather than being tied down to contracts that would have been difficult to move in the future. 

The trade could also help from an Xs and Os standpoint. Many felt the dual big-man lineup of Towns and Gobert wasn't a sustainable option against faster-paced teams such as the Thunder and Mavericks, despite its success in the 2024 playoffs against the Nuggets. Furthermore, reigning Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid showed flashes of a potential star last year and could benefit enormously from Towns' exit.

While the jury is still out on which team won the trade, both franchises enter the 2024-25 season with the most expectations they've had in decades.