Now It's Official: Karl-Anthony Towns Released A Very Heartfelt Goodbye To The Entire Timberwolves Family

Jesse D. Garrabrant. Getty Images.

Given that the new CBA is a gigantic pain in the dick, it took a little while for the Wolves/Knicks blockbuster trade to become official. Everyone had to pretend during Media Day that this trade didn't exist which is always very funny, but now that all the paperwork is in and everything has been processed teams can now tweet out their "Thank You" and "Welcome" graphics given that the trade is now "official" by NBA standards.

It also means we get the official "goodbye" posts from those involved. Julius Randle kept his nice and short on IG right after the trade was announced, whereas KAT decided to go with a much more heartfelt goodbye

To the Timberwolves Family: 

Nine years ago, I arrived in Minnesota as a young man with a dream. Little did I know that this place would become my home, and its people would become my family. Your love, support, and unwavering loyalty have fueled my journey and inspired me to be the best player I could be. 

Thank you to my teammates, coaches, and the entire Timberwolves organization for the countless opportunities and experiences. I'll cherish the friendships I've made and the battles we've fought together. To the incredible fans, your support has meant the world to me. It gave me strength on and off the court. I'll never forget it. You'll always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for everything. 

KAT

Here's the thing with this trade. Ever since Shams dropped the bomb, everyone has been quick to declare a "winner" and a "loser" of the deal. The truth is when you make a trade of this magnitude that drastically changes not only how both teams are now going to be able to play, but also all of the chemistry involved, nobody knows shit until we actually see it. Maybe things click right away from Day 1 like they did with the 2024 Celtics, or maybe it takes some time for everyone to figure things out like it did with the LeBron Era Heat.

But what we do know is that for KAT and Wolves fans, this is an emotional trade. I've experienced two of these trades in my life, first with KG and Paul Pierce and then last summer with Marcus Smart. For better or worse, KAT was the Wolves' guy. Through the ups and downs, he was the constant. He never asked out. He never caused drama, and he was extremely involved in the community. When a player does that, he becomes more than just a member of the NBA team, he becomes intertwined with the city. It's always a little different when your favorite team trades a homegrown star compared to a guy who was maybe only there for a handful of years. There's a different type of connection that exists for both the player and fans. I don't want to go extreme and say it's like you're mourning a loss, but you kind of are. 

For KAT, you can clearly see that coming through with his goodbye. Given this was a shock to everyone, it's not as if fans were begging for KAT to be traded. They finally had a team worthy of contention after all those tough years, so it's definitely tough to see that guy not be around anymore. I understand that feeling all too well. Marcus Smart not being on the 2024 Champion Celtics is an all-time bummer, but as someone who has lived through this, I can tell MIN fans that you never know what can happen. Sometimes the painful trades are what ultimately bring you that elusive title you're hoping for. Are Julius Randle and DDV going to be those pieces? Who knows, but sometimes these are the types of moves that one day end a title drought.

It's definitely going to be weird for Wolves fans to see KAT in a Knicks jersey, and I'm sorry to say there's no preparation for that. It sucks. If the team struggles out of the gate and the Knicks thrive with KAT, it's only going to make things worse. But what I can tell you is as the year goes on, it hurts less and less. It's not as if the Wolves will stink, there's still a ton of talent on that team and now Anthony Edwards is officially "the guy".  There are real reasons to be optimistic this all works out.

In an era where guys change teams all the time and nobody really spends their entire career with one team, it does suck to see a guy who had no problem being a member of the Timberwolves and turned himself into an All Star caliber player get shipped out all so the team could save some money and gain cap flexibility down the road. 

But hey, life happens and guys get traded. It's unfortunate, but that's why internet highlights exist. For any Wolves fans out there, give yourself a few days to do nothing but watch KAT clips. It won't change reality, but it helps ease the pain. Trust me.