Karl-Anthony Towns will finally be a Knick.
After years of flirtations and rumors, the four-time All-Star Towns is being traded from Minnesota to New York in a stunning blockbuster agreement, a source confirmed to The Post.
The Knicks are dealing Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, DaQuan Jeffries and a protected first-round pick from the Pistons, a source confirmed.
The Hornets are also involved in the deal, which is complicated by the Knicks and Timberwolves both exceeding the luxury tax apron.
A source said the trade has been in the works “for a while.”
The shocker comes as the Knicks desperately need a starting center, having lost Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency and Mitchell Robinson until at least December — and probably longer — as he recovers from ankle surgery.
It’s a risky and expensive gamble on Towns, 28, who is still owed more than $200 million over the next four years.
A league source said the Knicks were attracted to Towns’ fit for several reasons:
He fits into a core of players all under 30 years old and tied in to long-term contracts.
His offensive skills, which include elite shooting for a big man, complement the defensive versatility of OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges.
He’s a strong defensive rebounder.
He fills the center need with All-Star capabilities.
Towns’ acquisition leaves a potential starting lineup of Jalen Brunson, Bridges, Josh Hart, OG Anunoby and Towns — a formidable fivesome to compete with the Celtics for a title.
Still, Towns doesn’t arrive without concerns.
He’s been frequently injured the past five seasons and only last season advanced past the first round of the playoffs for the first time.
He’s been criticized as soft at different times in his career and butted heads with Tom Thibodeau when they were together in Minnesota.
Towns told The Post last season that he and the coach “squashed” their beef in a conversation years ago.
“I got no problems with Thibs. We’ve been squashed that,” Towns said. “I still look at Thibs as one of the best Xs and Os coaches I’ve been able to play for. He breathes winning, and I got nothing but respect for him.”
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Thibodeau reciprocated the respect.
“Watching the progress he’s made throughout his career, he’s as gifted as they come,” Thibodeau said last season. “When you look at an offensive player, particularly a big, the skill set that he has, I think we all saw, to win the 3-point contest and stuff like that, there’s nothing he can’t do offensively. He has continued to get better, I think. He had some injuries to deal with. I watched him play in FIBA [the World Cup, for the Dominican Republic]. He played really well there. He’s really, really gifted.”
Towns has been linked to the Knicks ever since Leon Rose — his former agent — took over the front office in 2020. Towns remains a client of CAA, an agency with close ties to the Knicks.
With Randle, the Knicks are trading an All-Star and one of players most responsible for resuscitating the organization over the past few seasons.
He was a three-time All-Star with New York as its starting power forward, a Most Improved Player winner and a two-time All-NBA selection.
Just Wednesday, Randle was part of the groundbreaking ceremony of a high school in the South Bronx. He had a court named after him.
Now he’s leaving the city without a contract extension and possibly as a free agent next summer.
DiVincenzo was a revelation and a fan favorite last season, along with being a member of the Villanova crew that goes from four to three.
