Donte DiVincenzo was reportedly fired up to be a member of the New York Knicks during the upcoming season before he was included in the Karl-Anthony Towns trade package.
Stefan Bondy of the New York Post reported Monday that DiVincenzo was “pumped” about playing with Mikal Bridges and the Knicks and not unhappy that he may come off the bench.
That contradicts a Saturday report from Ian Begley of SNY that said “DiVincenzo didn’t exactly love the idea of playing fewer minutes/a reduced role this season.”
Alas, he will not be in New York, as The Athletic’s Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski reported Friday that the Knicks were sending DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, Keita Bates-Diop and a future first-round draft pick via the Detroit Pistons to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Towns.
It should be noted that Begley reported any potential unhappiness on DiVincenzo’s end likely didn’t play a role in New York’s decision to trade him.
Instead, this is a team in the middle of a win-now window after reaching the second round of the playoffs last season. It saw an opportunity to land a four-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA selection who is just 28 years old in Towns and surely jumped at the chance.
The frontcourt situation also likely played a role in the Knicks’ decision, as Isaiah Hartenstein signed with the Oklahoma City Thunder this offseason and Mitchell Robinson is dealing with a foot and ankle injury that could keep him sidelined for a significant amount of time.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported Saturday the Knicks are “planning” for the big man to miss “at least three more months” after he underwent surgery in May.
With a core that already includes Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges, OG Anunoby and Josh Hart and is looking to be a true playoff factor in the Eastern Conference, adding an impact player in the frontcourt felt like a necessity.
It cost the Knicks a valuable role player in DiVincenzo, but Towns is the type of difference-maker who could elevate the overall ceiling. He is a double-double threat every time he steps on the floor, can score 30-plus on any given night and can extend his game beyond the arc as a matchup problem.
That means he can work in pick-and-pops with Brunson or take advantage of the spacing created by playing alongside so many talented guards and wings.
As for DiVincenzo, Knicks fans will surely give him a warm welcome when he returns to Madison Square Garden as a visitor following this trade.
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