Source: David K Purdy / Getty
The biggest trade of the NBA offseason comes just weeks before the latest campaign tips off on Oct. 22, and not all parties involved are satisfied.
The New York Knicks made a deep run into the 2024 playoffs, and to bolster the already scrappy squad, they traded Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle to the Minnesota Timberwolves for big man Karl-Anthony Towns.
KAT has spent his entire near-decade-long career with the Wolves, so this means a fresh start for him and Randle, who’s been plagued by injury. DiVincenzo, however, is coming off a career year, playing an integral part in the playoff berth, and hoping to play with his former Villanova teammates, including Mikal Bridges.
Things got heated when the teams played each other in a preseason game, and DiVincenzo started mouthing off at the Knicks bench when standing at the free-throw line.
LEAKED Audio Of Donte DiVincenzo Trash Talking The Knicks Coaching Staff
:
Donte: “Can’t finish, right Thibs?”
Rick Brunson appears to have intervened in the conversation, which led to Donte saying:
“That’s what happens when they let you run the show.. Let dad be the coach” pic.twitter.com/8KQ8ArNDtP
— LegendZ (@legendz_nba) October 14, 2024
“Thank you for the trade, Thibs. Thank you for the trade… that’s what happens when they let you run the show. That’s what happens when they let you run the show,” he said while looking at New York’s bench.
Reporters asked him about the exchange with Tom Thibodeau after the game, which he admitted to because they caught him in 4K.
“Obviously, they had me on video saying it,” DiVincenzo told reporters after the game. “I’m not there anymore, I play competitive, I wear my heart on my sleeve and that’s all it was.”
Donte DiVincenzo says that he was not talking to Tom Thibodeau about being traded to the Timberwolves when he yelled towards the Knicks’ bench during the game tonight: pic.twitter.com/SfMNclGOhv
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) October 14, 2024
However, it seems like his issue may not have been with the head coach, but rather with assistant coach Rick Brunson, who’s also the father of Jalen Brunson, as the two had to be separated after the game ended.
Donte DiVincenzo and Rick Brunson had to be separated after exchanging words
This was Donte’s first game back in New York following the trade to Minnesota pic.twitter.com/CDt72FzEkH
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 14, 2024
“My relationship with Jalen, that’s my brother and my best friend,” DiVincenzo said. “That’s a separate relationship. I’ll talk about that privately, and figure everything out. But it is what it is.”
DiVincenzo’s new running mate, Anthony Edwards, even admitted that adding him to the team benefits them but is a huge loss for the Knicks.
Jon K “What’s it like playing w Donte?”
Ant “F**k…incredible…I haven’t even got to play w Julius yet…playing w Donte fun as hell ngl”
Bondy “He seemed motivated”
…
Ant “He motivated every nite…Make all the right plays, shoot the cover off the ball, I know NY gone miss him” pic.twitter.com/7qmt89XVyX— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) October 14, 2024
“You can’t be mad at him, man,” Edwards said of the guard’s talent. “He makes all the right plays and shoots the cover off the ball. New York is definitely going to miss him.”
See how social media is reacting to the post-trade drama below.
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