Fantasy basketball: Karl-Anthony Towns positioned to thrive on Knicks - ESPN

The New York Knicks and Minnesota Timberwolves are in the process of finalizing a blockbuster trade of All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns, sources confirmed to ESPN Friday night. This deal will likely have significant fantasy basketball implications.

The trade would send Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the North Star State, while Towns would head to the Big Apple. The Timberwolves will also receive a 2025 top-13 protected first-round pick from the Knicks via the Detroit Pistons. The Charlotte Hornets are the third team in the deal, according to sources, and are expected to receive draft compensation.

How will the trade work out for both teams involved? Let's take a look.

The Knicks had a clear need at center, especially with Isaiah Hartenstein leaving for the Oklahoma City Thunder and Mitchell Robinson sidelined until December after ankle surgery. New York was facing a center rotation of Precious Achiuwa, Jericho Sims and Julius Randle. Now, they would have one of the league's top centers in Towns, who also has the versatility to play power forward when needed.

Last season, Towns averaged 21.8 PPG, 8.3 RPG, 3.0 APG and 2.2 three-pointers in 32.7 minutes per game. From a fantasy perspective, the biggest advantage is that he no longer has to share the floor with Rudy Gobert, who limited his ceiling. Reuniting with head coach Tom Thibodeau could also enhance Towns' value. He averaged 23.0 PPG and 12.3 RPG in 204 games under Thibodeau from 2016 to early 2019, becoming one of only three players during that period to log at least 4,000 points and 2,000 rebounds. Towns has the potential to offer first-round fantasy value again, similar to his performance before sharing the court with Gobert.

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