“Gràcies a tothom. Seguim! Gracias a todos. ¡Seguimos! Thank you all. Let’s keep going!” With these words and a heartfelt video highlighting his journey, Ricky Rubio bid adieu to a decades-long journey. The 34-year-old basketball star, who last played in the NBA back in 2024, announced his retirement from the sport a few days ago. Though he couldn’t win an NBA championship, the legacy he created both within the NBA and several Spanish clubs will be remembered for years to come. With tributes pouring in from all sides, Karl-Anthony Towns wouldn’t have missed honoring his former teammate on completing one of his life’s chapters.
The New York Knicks star recently took to his official Instagram account and put up a story to be viewed by his 4.4 million followers. It highlighted a picture of Towns in his Timberwolves gear, with Ricky Rubio, also in his Timberwolves jersey, standing beside him. Towns added a caption alongside the picture that read “Incredible journey @ruuufio (raised fist emoji). Enjoy this next chapter!”.
The Minnesota Timberwolves were 1 of 4 teams that Ricky Rubio was a part of throughout his 13-year-long NBA career. Being a player of the team between 2011 and 2017, and then between 2020 and 2021—it allowed him to spend considerable time with Towns, who was drafted into the Timberwolves back in 2015.
In a way, Rubio was a mentor to both Towns and Anthony Edwards. Edwards once recalled how, during his first training camp, he was playing in a scrimmage with D’Angelo Russell and Karl-Anthony Towns. His team was trailing late, and the young star attempted to take the game-winning shot, which he missed. Edwards recalled the experienced veteran coming up to him, revealing, “Ricky was like, ‘Young fella, this is not the shot that you take. You let them take the shot’. He was like, ‘In a minute, you’ll be able to take this shot. But not right now.’”
Of course, being the rebellious spirit he is, Edwards did not listen to that advice. Despite that, he complimented Rubio by saying, “That’s one of the memories I have. Him just making the game easier for me, telling me little things every game, like coverages I’ll see. He was pretty smart.”
For Karl Anthony-Towns, a lot of Rubio memories came to mind when the veteran announced his NBA retirement in early 2024. Amongst them, as The Minnesota Star Tribune reporter Chris Hine highlighted, was the Wolves’ first win after Flip Saunders died in 2015, and Towns’ first game as an NBA player. Amongst the fondest of memories was Rubio being one of the first to welcome Towns to Minnesota, and taking him to Stella’s Fish Cafe in Uptown.
Karl-Anthony Towns gives Ricky Rubio his flowers after announcing retirement
More from PG & KAT on the new episode out now: https://t.co/azpILYAF2s pic.twitter.com/n2RwojMux8
— Podcast P with Paul George (@PodcastPShow) January 8, 2024
“We were on the rooftop just talking. Ended up being one of my favorite restaurants for many years. It was all because of him,” Towns recalled. “The food is great, but it was just that moment of having Ricky Rubio, someone who from far away I was a fan and watched play, was mesmerized by his passing ability and his game, it was crazy he was going to be my teammate.”
Karl-Anthony Towns places Ricky Rubio on a high pedestal, since he did a “lot for me as a basketball player, and I’m forever grateful for that”. On top of that, the Knicks center credits him for making him a better man and a better human being. This is why he believes Rubio was “special to so many of us in the NBA community.” Now, with the basketball player having now become a former basketball player, Towns paid another tribute to his mentor/friend, which probably is far from being the last.
With his mentor/friend deciding his future, Towns would be compelled to also question what the future holds for him. After all, from the looks of things, his head might be on the Guillotine, with the trade blade positioned right for his neck.
Will Karl-Anthony Towns be traded to the Chicago Bulls?
“Trading KAT should be priority #1 for the Knicks”. This post on X by NBA reporter Kevin O’Connor was just one among many, circulating after the New York Knicks were eliminated from the ongoing tournament. The team certainly came far this season, making it to the Conference Finals for the first time in 25 years. Unfortunately, the Indiana Pacers did not let them get further than that. Someone had to take the blame after the elimination, and it fell on Towns. After all, despite his impressive average score in the playoffs, his defensive abilities failed to keep Tyrese Haliburton in check. Furthermore, being traded to the Knicks only in the last off-season, he won’t be missed as much as the other veterans. Therefore, it didn’t take long for suggestions to come up about Towns’ new home.
A few days ago, Sports Illustrated’s Jackson Caudell put out a proposal about a 3-team trade. The same would send Karl-Anthony Towns to the Chicago Bulls. On top of that, the Bulls would also receive Terance Mann, Kobe Bufkin, Pacome Dadiet, and a 2027 second-round pick from the Atlanta Hawks. In exchange, the New York Knicks will get Nikola Vucevic, Kevin Huerter, Lonzo Ball, and a 2026 first-round pick via Chicago. Atlanta would acquire Ayo Dosunmu.
Seeing Towns wear the white and red of Michael Jordan’s former team would certainly be a welcome sight. The trade could certainly prove beneficial for the Bulls, which continues living in the shadow of the glory days of the Jordan era. After all, they get an elite offensive player to pair with Josh Giddey (if he is brought back) and Matas Buzelis. The Bulls reportedly have a lot of expiring deals, which they could make use of to make an offer for Towns, who is currently under a 4-year, $220.44 million contract, with a player option available for the 2027-28 season. In exchange, the Knicks would get depth, some relief on the financial front that can be used to get a better defensive player, and a 1st round pick as well.
Feb 20, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) reacts to a play on the court against the Chicago Bulls during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
At the same time, it seems unlikely that the Knicks would trade Karl-Anthony Towns just a year after trading him for Julius Randle. The team already made a major change in the aftermath of the elimination by firing head coach Tom Thibodeau. Another drastic action, right after they made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, might not come off well. The proposed trade gives depth, but not enough high-end rotation talent.
In the end, it all depends on the direction the Knicks choose to take. Both fans and Towns might be worrying about what might happen shortly. Fortunately, Towns can always call up his mentor for advice.
The post Karl-Anthony Towns Sends Clear Message to Ex-Timberwolves Teammate Amid Uncertain Knicks Future appeared first on EssentiallySports.
