Donte DiVincenzo has already been again as soon as to the Backyard, jawing with the Knicks’ bench and needing to be separated from assistant coach Rick Brunson on the conclusion of a preseason sport in October.
However DiVincenzo and teammate Julius Randle will face the Knicks in a sport that counts for the primary time Thursday night time in Minnesota since they had been dealt away within the blockbuster commerce for Karl-Anthony Cities simply earlier than the beginning of coaching camp.
“I’m nonetheless involved with these guys on a regular basis. It’s nonetheless household,“ DiVincenzo stated Wednesday after the Timberwolves practiced in Minnesota. “I watch video games and all the things, nevertheless it’s completely different, a distinct viewpoint if you’ll — extra so only a fan of the blokes which are over there.
“Wish them nothing but success, individually and collectively.”
Whereas Randle is averaging 20.1 factors in his return from season-ending shoulder surgical procedure, DiVincenzo has struggled to search out his footing with the Timberwolves.
He’s posting simply 8.3 factors and taking pictures 31.9 % from 3-point vary after connecting at a 40.1 clip in his lone season with the Knicks.
“I think, a) it’s not normal to make a trade the day before media day. Both sides, it takes time to adjust,” DiVincenzo stated. “Great things take time. On our side, I believe that but also on their side. I think KAT’s playing really well, but it’s going to take time to mesh, for other guys to adjust to what he does.”
Josh Hart equally stated final week — and he and Jalen Brunson reiterated Wednesday — that DiVincenzo and Randle had been an enormous a part of the Knicks’ id final season.
They acknowledged that the present squad remains to be attempting to ascertain its id regardless of a 16-10 begin and Cities averaging round 25 factors and 14 rebounds per sport.
“Like I said, it’s an adjustment,” DiVincenzo stated. “KAT was right here for, what was it, 9 years? The man was right here for 9 years. Identical factor.
“When he leaves here there’s a hole, there’s a void of what he brought. In the same way, even though I was there for a year, even though Julius missed half the year; he was there for five years. There’s something when a guy spends that much time in an organization, they’re around people, you just get accustomed to what you’re going to get every single day. So coming here, just try to be yourself.”
As for his dust-up with the elder Brunson and the Knicks’ bench within the preseason, DiVincenzo stated the incident is behind them.
“Family talks, family moves forward. That’s it,” stated DiVincenzo, who was a teammate of Jalen Brunson’s, Hart’s and first-year Knick Mikal Bridges’ at Villanova. “I want them — clearly that state of affairs, however each single particular person over there — I want nonstop particular person success, collective success.
“I want the same for everybody over here. That’s all it is. Families talk and families move forward.”
Randle was not as expansive together with his solutions about going through the Knicks, calling it “another game” and saying he’s simply going to “play basketball.”
“I’m going to go home, play with my kids, going to eat some food… And I’m going to sleep,” Randle stated. “I’m going to get up within the morning, go to shootaround, most likely get somewhat therapy. After which I’m going to shoot.
“And then I’m going to go home and have some breakfast and then I’m going to go to the arena and play the game.”
Requested about Hart’s feedback concerning the Knicks nonetheless looking for their id with out him and DiVincenzo, the three-time All-Star replied, “Oh you got to ask Josh about that. I don’t play there anymore.”
—Extra reporting by Stefan Bondy
