The NBA season has plenty of scheduling quirks that the first encounter between Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards as members of opposing teams occurred in preseason, with the Minnesota Timberwolves visiting the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. This matchup between the Timberwolves and Knicks did not have the feel of a typical preseason game, with both teams seemingly going at it as if there were high stakes on the line.

In the end, it was the Knicks that came out on top, 115-110, surviving an all-out barrage from Edwards, who led the way for the Timberwolves with 31 points on red-hot shooting from the field. Following the exciting preseason contest, Edwards and Towns became the talk of the town as they decided to hold a jersey swap — an incredible, if bittersweet, moment between two former teammates whose friendship has grown over the past four seasons.

But Knicks fans, ever the opportunists, took this opportunity to recruit Edwards to New York. One fan straight up told Edwards to sign with the Knicks once his contract with the Timberwolves (that runs until the 2028-29 season) is up. Edwards did not shut the door, however, on a potential reunion with his old buddy Towns. In fact, he said that he would very much welcome a potential reunion with the 28-year-old big man.

“I definitely would love to be reunited with KAT,” Edwards said, eliciting a smile from Towns. (Skip to 0:37 for the relevant part.)

 

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The Timberwolves have grown so much as a team over the four seasons that Edwards and Towns spent together that it remains surreal to see the latter donning a Knicks jersey. Minnesota remains on the hunt for a championship, and it will certainly be bittersweet that they are pressing on in this goal of theirs without the man who became the franchise cornerstone since 2015.

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This is the ripple effect of the new CBA. The Timberwolves had to make some cost-cutting maneuvers in fear of the punitive restrictions imposed by going above the second luxury tax apron. But perhaps one day, Edwards and Towns find their way to one another again under more lenient financial circumstances.

Timberwolves and Knicks deliver preseason fireworks

The first three quarters of the Timberwolves and Knicks' preseason battle on Sunday night did not feel like a preseason game. Both teams were clearly fired up after making the biggest trade of the offseason (at least in terms of involvement of high-profile names), with Donte DiVincenzo chirping incessantly at the Knicks bench and Anthony Edwards being in midseason form for the Timberwolves.

Karl-Anthony Towns is also back to battling in the paint as the Knicks' center, hauling in 16 rebounds after spending more time around the perimeter than ever before during his final two seasons with the Timberwolves.

Expect these two teams to be among the favorites to make it to the NBA Finals next season, as their rosters barely have any holes that need patching up.