MINNEAPOLIS — It was a winter wonderland lovefest for Karl-Anthony Cities.
The middle returned to snowy Minnesota with two deliberate video tributes Thursday evening — one earlier than the Knicks-Timberwolves tip-off, one other throughout the sport — as Cities gushed concerning the “warm feeling” of stepping again into the Goal Heart.
“I was here nine years. That’s a long time. I called this place home,” Cities stated. “To be back here, to be able to sleep in my house one more time, it was really a nostalgic feeling.”
Cities, who spent 9 seasons with the Timberwolves after being drafted first general in 2015, was appropriately greeted with 6 inches of snowfall however dismissed the concept that he’d have hassle commuting to morning shootaround.
“That’s a New York question. That’s not a Minnesotan question,” Cities stated. “Come on. I ain’t going to answer that one.”
Cities, in contrast to former Knick Julius Randle, clearly carries no ill-will about his former staff or being traded only a day earlier than coaching camp.
He was additionally having fun with the adulation on his large day, even tweeting out a spotlight package deal of his Minnesota profession.
“I just wanted to be my best with whatever NBA jersey I put on, but I especially wanted to be my best here in a Timberwolves jersey,” Cities stated whereas acknowledging Thursday was extra than simply one other sport. “This place has given my family so much, not even from a financial aspect, but from a life aspect of the experiences we were able to have because of the organization and the things we were able to accomplish here. Those are things that you can never discredit, you can never lose love for. I continue to see Minnesota as a home for me.”
Cities’ new teammate Mikal Bridges might type of relate after being traded from the Suns and returning to a video tribute final yr.
However he acknowledged Cities “has completed far more [for Minnesota] than what I did with Phoenix, being the No. 1 decide and every part.
“So I think it’s going to be a lot of love for him and how much he’s shown effort and how much he’s done for the city,” Bridges added.
Cities had good causes to really feel snug and content material along with his scenario.
He was acquired by his former agent, Leon Rose, to play nearer to his household and was thriving coming into Thursday, averaging 24.8 factors and a career-high 13.9 rebounds whereas making a powerful case to be an All-Star starter.
Offensively, the swap from enjoying energy ahead in Minnesota to heart in New York has boosted his effectiveness.
“I’m not surprised,” Bridges stated. “Him being the 5 is kind of more of a mismatch problem for other 5s. I think he causes mismatches for pretty much everybody that guards him. …I think if you get size on him, it makes it even tougher because he’s faster than them. They have to guard him all the way at the 3-point line. Because if not, he’ll shoot it and make it every time. So I think it’s a huge advantage for him.”
Timberwolves coach Chris Finch stated the place change is behind the rebounding surge.
In 2022, Minnesota acquired Rudy Gobert for rim safety and Cities switched to energy ahead for 2 seasons.
“The Knicks play him in the deep drop so he’s always around the basket every time a shot is taken,” Finch stated. “And at the 5, he’s a slightly different player than at the 4, and that manifests in a lot of different ways. He’s not having to play with a dominant rebounder like Rudy, either. But it’s incredible. He’s got great hands, he’s long, he fights. He had those kind of numbers for us when I first got here. Maybe not consistently but he had big rebounding nights when he was at the 5.”
Cities waxing poetic for his former staff was in stark distinction to Randle, who playfully deflected all questions or pleaded ignorance concerning the Knicks after Wednesday’s follow.
Cities was in a distinct boat.
He bought his large extension from the Timberwolves earlier than he was traded — Randle, alternatively, can turn out to be a free agent after the season — and reciprocated the love Thursday.
“Wild, wild experience,” Cities stated. “Lot of years of great memories here and it’s always a warm feeling I get stepping in Target Center.”
