New season, new faces, heightened expectations for the New York Knicks
With success comes high expectations. Last season, the Knicks made a valiant journey to the Eastern Conference semifinals, losing 4-3 to the Indiana Pacers, finally succumbing to a rash of injuries in Game 7 at Madison Square Garden. The 130-109 defeat didn’t feel as much as the finality as it did the end of the beginning, a period in which the Knicks will be a title contender for at least a three-or four-year window. Much can happen to change the course of their potential, but as of today it is trending upward, resting on a sturdy foundation built by a front office staff headed by team president Leon Rose. Across the NBA, Monday was Media Day as the league’s preseason schedule starts this week. The Knicks held their presser at their training facility in Greenburgh, Westchester County.
Before last weekend, the Knicks’ most prominent offseason addition was forward Mikal Bridges, acquired in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets. Then, late Friday, the Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves agreed to a deal to bring Edison, New Jersey native and four-time NBA All-Star forward/center Karl-Anthony Towns into the fold in exchange for three-time All-Star forward Julius Randle, guard Donte DiVincenzo and a 2025 top-13 protected first round draft pick.
As of AmNews press time and Knicks media day the trade had not been officially finalized so no one in the Knicks organization could explicitly comment publicly on the weighty transaction.
“Who’s Karl? I have no idea who that is,” Knicks guard Jalen Brunson joked when asked about Towns. He was more serious when discussing his professional and personal relationships with Randle, and his former Villanova college roommate and teammate DiVincenzo. “That was definitely tough,” he reflected on the trio parting ways. “Thankful that Julius welcomed me with open arms here. That news, it was crazy. I’m really thankful for them, their friendships and everything, and what they brought to the team. Really thankful I got to get a good relationship with Julius and the memories we made together was really fun.
“And Donte, he was a groomsman in my wedding, so that should tell you everything you need to know about our relationship.” The NBA community and basketball world at large is mourning Hall of Fame center Dikembe Mutombo, who died on Monday from brain cancer. Mutombo played collegiately at Georgetown for the late, legendary coach, John Thompson, and 19 years in the NBA. He was literally and figuratively one of sport’s towering statesmen and global ambassadors. The 7’2″ Mutombo’s philanthropic endeavors included building the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, named after his late mother, who passed away in 1997. Since opening in 2007 in his native Republic of the Congo in Africa, the hospital has served over one million people.
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