Donte DiVincenzo Expresses Gratitude to Knicks Fans After Trade: ‘One of the Best Years of My Life’
Former New York Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo, recently traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves as part of the Karl-Anthony Towns deal, expressed his gratitude to Knicks fans on Thursday, calling it “one of the best years of my life.”
DiVincenzo shared his appreciation through his agency, stating, “Thank you for one of the best years of my life. It was just one season, but one for the record books” (via Ian Begley).
This trade marks the end of the Villanova quartet that included Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and DiVincenzo, who had a brief reunion on the Knicks after Bridges was acquired before New York traded for Towns, resulting in DiVincenzo’s departure.
In Minnesota, DiVincenzo will join a mix of players including Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle, Mike Conley, Jaden McDaniels, Naz Reid, and rookie Rob Dillingham. This core, while talented, raises questions about fit, especially with Gobert and Towns together in the paint. Trading Towns primarily aimed at future financial flexibility rather than building on last season’s Western Conference Finals run was a surprising move.
For the Knicks, the trade was less unexpected, as they had previously been linked to Towns. His addition promises a significant offensive boost at center, complementing Brunson, Hart, Bridges, and OG Anunoby in a formidable starting lineup. However, whether Towns can meet head coach Tom Thibodeau’s defensive expectations is uncertain. Fortunately, the defensive strengths of Bridges and Anunoby should help mitigate Towns’ weaknesses.
The departure of DiVincenzo will be felt beyond the loss of his Villanova connections; he had a stellar 2023-24 season, achieving career highs with 15.5 points per game, a 40.1% three-point shooting percentage, and 283 total three-pointers—ranking as the 14th-most in a single NBA season.
The Timberwolves would be delighted if DiVincenzo can replicate those impressive stats. It remains to be seen whether his success last season was due to his growth as a player or the ideal system he thrived in with the Knicks.
