How the Knicks Won Big and the Wolves Broke an Unwritten Rule of the NBA

Minnesota's elite status is on thin ice, while New York is thriving. Let's break down the massive KAT trade's impact on both teams

The Timberwolves finished No. 3 in the West a season ago — just a game back of the top seed — and then swept the Phoenix Suns, knocked out the reigning champion Denver Nuggets, and made the Western Conference finals for only the second time in their history.

So when they traded away Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks — even if the move was made to cut costs in the midst of an ownership dispute — falling to No. 7 in the West wasn’t part of the plan. Now they’re in the play-in mix, just hoping for a playoff berth.

The problem is, this could have been foreseen, for reasons we’ll explore below.

Meanwhile, the New York Knicks have bolstered their championship chances. They are third in the Eastern Conference, have the NBA’s fifth-best net rating, and project to exceed last season’s 50 wins.

Let’s dig into both teams, how they got here, and the impact the October 2 swap of Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo has made, with video and advanced stats.