On Sunday night, it became a dual reality for the two native New Yorkers as the Knicks opened the preseason with a 111-109 win at the Charlotte Hornets, with the big man Towns made his debut following the recent blockbuster trade with Minnesota.

The Knicks eventually incorporated a third team, the Charlotte Hornets, into the agreement. When the dust had settled, New York had brought in Towns and the draft rights to international center James Nnaji, while the Timberwolves had added Randle, DiVincenzo, Bates-Diop, and a top-13 protected Detroit Pistons Pistons' 2025 first-round pick.