The New York Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves went up against each other tonight for the first time since the blockbuster trade involving Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, and Karl-Anthony Towns. There did seem to be some bad blood between the players regarding the trade. DiVincenzo gave fans reasons to believe that he is bitter after being forced out of New York.
Advertisement
The 27-year-old passed a comment toward the Knicks’ bench during a trip to the charity stripe. In clips that are now going round the Internet, he seemed to be salty about the trade.
“Thank you for the trade, Thibs [Thobodeau]…that’s what happens when they let you run the show. That’s what happens when they let you run the show,” DiVincenzo was heard saying in one of the clips circulating on X.
This incident occurred midway into the opening period. Hence, the T-Wolves player had to wait for the entirety of the game to put an end to the claim that he called out his former coach during the contest.
The 6ft 4” guard corrected fans during a locker room interview after the game. Apparently, DiVincenzo indulged in some harmless banter, talking about his inability to finish at the rim.
“I didn’t say thanks for the trade. It was about a finish. I was joking with Thibs about not being able to finish… I saw the clip, I wasn’t talking to Thibs. I didn’t say anything about the trade. It’s all good,” DiVincenzo reassured fans.
He also claimed that his relationship with the Knicks’ personnel isn’t sour.
Donte DiVincenzo says that he was not talking to Tom Thibodeau about being traded to the Timberwolves when he yelled towards the Knicks’ bench during the game tonight: pic.twitter.com/SfMNclGOhv
— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) October 14, 2024
However, his post-game altercation with Jalen Brunson’s father would suggest otherwise. The seventh-year player isn’t the type to hold on to a grudge. However, it is understandable why fans were convinced that DiVincenzo was expressing his frustrations.
Immediately after details of the trade were announced, reports suggested that the two-way star wasn’t amused with a diminished role during the 2023-2024 season. He couldn’t comprehend the decision to be demoted to a sixth-man role after having a “career year”. Despite not receiving as many minutes as he’d like, DiVincenzo finished the campaign with a career-high 15.5 points per game.
The Wolves have started DiVincenzo in each of their three preseason games. He’s showing signs of being the third scoring option behind Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle by recording 10.7 points in only 20.1 minutes per game.
If Chris Finch allows him to play about 30-32 minutes per game during the regular season, the former Villanova star could easily average around 17 points.
