Karl-Anthony Towns may not be “flabbergasted” anymore — the word he used to describe his reaction to the blockbuster trade that sent him to the Knicks — but the shock has yet to wear off, either.
He’s still adjusting to his new surroundings, still getting accustomed to new teammates and still trying to process the seismic change in his life.
He has yet to find a new place to live, and has only had a handful of days back in New York since the stunning move.
“Even at dinner last night, me and my girlfriend were having dinner. She looked at me and she just tapped me on the shoulder and she said, ‘Can you really believe this is our life now?’ ” the gifted 7-foot Piscataway, N.J. native said on Friday. “And we’re both still in shock. It’s definitely still there. I’m having moments where even for me being on social media, very rare times that I do, or I’m getting a Timberwolves update on my phone, and I’m kind of confused by a lot of things.”
It has been a whirlwind.
Three days before the Knicks held media day, news broke that they were trading for the 28-year-old Towns and sending Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo to the Timberwolves.
Then, it was off to Charleston, S.C. for training camp.
The regular season is now 10 days away.
That’s a lot to process in a short period of time.
Add onto that, Towns will see his old team, the Timberwolves, Sunday night at the Garden in a preseason game.
Talk about odd coincidences.
“Yeah, it’s going to be weird,” Towns said with a smile. “It’s going to be very weird on Sunday.”
As he discussed the Timberwolves, Towns gave a shoutout to point guard Mike Conley Jr., who turned 37 years old on Friday, and laughed at the idea of talking trash to Anthony Edwards on Sunday.
“That’s my brother,” he said. “I hear his name and I start smiling.”
In nine seasons in Minnesota, Towns was a four-time All-Star and helped the Timberwolves reach the Western Conference finals last spring.
He became a max-contract player.
Then, all of a sudden, he was gone.
He’s still getting used to his new life, although he hasn’t necessarily looked out of place so far as a Knick.
In his Garden debut, he poured in 25 points and added 12 rebounds and two blocks in a win over the Wizards, showcasing the talent the Knicks can now boast from their center.
A Towns-Jalen Brunson pick-and-roll has at times looked dynamic in the preseason, two elite shotmakers forcing the defense to pick its poison.
What’s happening on and off the Garden court
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Towns credited everyone with the Knicks, from coaches to teammates to executives, with making him feel comfortable in his new home both on and off the court.
“They’ve been patient with me and continue to find ways to try to help me in this process,” he said.
Perhaps, facing the Timberwolves on Sunday will be good for Towns, as a way to give him closure. It will no doubt be strange for him.
But, in the long run, it could serve as a positive.
Get the reunion out of the way before the games start to count.
“It’s the business. It’s the game,” Towns said. “Got to go out there and compete at a high level.”
