Are Knicks Still Winning the Karl-Anthony Towns Trade?

Karl-Anthony Towns was traded to the New York Knicks this offseason from the Minnesota Timberwolves.

New York Knicks forward Karl-Anthony Towns works around Minnesota Timberwolves forward Julius Randle. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

The New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves are both trailing in their respective Conference Finals series, which is another way the two franchises are connected after their blockbuster trade back in September.

The Knicks traded Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle for Karl-Anthony Towns shortly before the start of training camp, and both teams have experienced the pros and cons of the deal.

CBS Sports writer Sam Quinn dove into the deal and looked at whether the Knicks still "won" the trade.

"Typically, the team getting the best player has an advantage in most trades," Quinn wrote.

"The Knicks did so here, and the cost was not prohibitively expensive. As good as DiVincenzo was for them, he was set to come off of their bench this season. They gave up only a single first-round pick, and it wasn't one of their own. In context, a mid-first round pick and a high-end reserve seems a small price to pay for a meaningful and necessary front-court upgrade. That makes them the winner of this trade."

Towns has struggled during the Conference Finals, but those trials and tribulations shouldn't change whether or not the Knicks won the trade.

If the Wolves overcome their deficit against the Oklahoma City Thunder and then go on to win the NBA Finals, that would be another story, but for now, New York and Minnesota are in a bit of a tie.

The Wolves will be at a crossroads with their roster this offseason when it comes to an extension for Randle and how to keep their other players, but if Minnesota can find a way to keep the core together to eventually win a championship, New York may end up on the losing end of the deal.

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