Even KAT didn’t have the reflexes to react to this transaction.

Karl-Anthony Towns simply wrote “…” on Friday night after news broke that the Knicks and Timberwolves were finalizing a blockbuster trade that would send the Minnesota star to New York in exchange for Donte DiVincenzo’s Julius Randle. DaQuan Jeffries and a lottery-protected first-round pick of the Pistons.

Jon Krawczynski, the Timberwolves’ beat reporter for The Athletic, wrote on X that Towns’ camp said the New Jersey product was “stunned” by the deal.

Krawczynski also noted that the cities “did not ask for this trade. He has never asked to move here in nine years.”

The move continued a reshaping of the Knicks roster after two straight runs to the Eastern Conference semifinals and gave them a center they needed after losing Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency to the Thunder and Mitchell Robinson the starting missed the season while recovering from ankle surgery. .

The Knicks also acquired Mikal Bridges in a trade to the Nets at the start of the offseason.

The Timberwolves are coming off a season in which they reached the Western Conference finals at 56-26 behind the duo of Towns and Anthony Edwards before losing to the Mavericks in five games.

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor is currently embroiled in a legal battle with co-owners Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore – whose bid to purchase the team recently received help from former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg – over the sale of the team.

Towns averaged 21.8 points and 8.3 rebounds while being named All-Star for the fourth time.

Randle missed the Knicks’ entire playoff run after suffering a shoulder injury on Jan. 27 and ultimately opted for season-ending surgery.

DiVincenzo was a crucial piece for coach Tom Thidodeau’s team, especially as injuries began to plague them in the postseason.

The Villanova product averaged 22.7 points per game in the Knicks’ Eastere Conference semifinal loss to the Pacers.