The NBA preseason kicks off, with the Lakers taking on the Timberwolves. In the first quarter, the Timberwolves quickly took over the game with the inside and outside, and the new recruit DiVincenzo perfectly integrated into the team and hit consecutive three-pointers, and the Timberwolves had established a double-digit lead by the end of the first quarter; In the second quarter, the Lakers relied on Rivers' three-point shot to blast a small climax; Yibian fought again, and the Timberwolves still played well after coming off the bench, taking a lead of up to 16 points; The two teams exchanged three-pointers back and forth in the final quarter, but the Timberwolves had a better grasp and Bronny scored his first preseason point in garbage time. In the end, the Timberwolves defeated the Lakers 124-107 to get off to a good start in the preseason.
It doesn't matter if you win or lose the preseason, it's about testing the results of the offseason. Clearly, Bronny was still a long way from becoming a rotation player, and the Lakers had to send him to the Development League first, and the Timberwolves were reassured that DiVincenzo made a stunning debut, scoring 11 points in just nine minutes, shooting 4-of-4 from the field and 3-of-3 from three-point range.
The Timberwolves traded Towns for Randle and DiVincenzo in the league's biggest offseason trade, and now it seems that the deal is what each team needs, and both teams have completed roster upgrades.
Not only did the Timberwolves lower their luxury tax, they also got quality championship puzzle pieces like DiVincenzo, and if Randle is healthy, they will have both a strong starter and a bench.
For the Knicks, the deal is even more significant. The Knicks are rushing to win the championship in the new season, they traded the league's top 3D Bridges in the offseason, and now they have an All-Star interior Towns, the new starting lineup is tingling to think about, and the Knicks will be the biggest trouble for the Celtics to defend their title.
However, in the eyes of the alliance, this is not a legitimate deal. According to U.S. media reports, under the new collective bargaining agreement, the Knicks cannot merge multiple base salary contracts for trading. The Knicks' modus operandi is to sign and trade Dakan Jeffries, Charlie Brown, and Duane Washington Jr., and all three get a starting salary of base salary + $1. With just the addition of $3, the Knicks can combine the three contracts and trade.
To put it simply, it was the Knicks who took advantage of the collective bargaining agreement loophole to complete the deal.
Fred Katz of The Athletic noted, "I've heard from a lot of people that Shaw isn't happy about this, that the league is trying to close the hole, and they may scrutinize it further." ”
In fact, there have been precedents of this kind of clever before, and the league pretended not to see it, and this time it alarmed Xiao Hua because this deal is enough to affect the league's championship pattern, and it is even possible to give birth to a super strong team, which is not allowed by the league. The good news is that the deal has been officially announced, and even if the investigation results are out, it will only be a fine at best.
Downs rejoice, after 9 years in the league as the champion, you finally have a chance to win the championship.