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Basketball HOFer says Knicks lost ‘swagger’ once Donte DiVincenzo was traded

Originally posted on Empire Sports Media
By Dylan Backer | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 11:07 AM ET

After just one season with the New York Knicks, Donte DiVincenzo found himself traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves just before training camp last offseason. It was a big shock given that he had his most successful season of his career and set the franchise mark for most threes made in a single season.

HOF Magic Johnson thinks the Knicks could have used Donte DiVincenzo this season

However, the trade was for the better, as it was necessary in order to land Karl-Anthony Towns as part of a late offseason blockbuster. DiVincenzo wasn’t the only key piece New York gave up in the deal, as All-NBA forward Julius Randle was also sent to Minnesota.

Some felt that trading away their best shooter after just one season with them is ultimately what hurt them. Basketball Hall of Famer Magic Johnson said on ESPN’s Get Up that losing DiVincenzo made a huge difference for the Knicks.

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“The swagger left the Knicks when [DiVincenzo] got traded, and they don’t have that swagger again,” Johnson said (h/t Yahoo! Sports’ Mitch Fink). “See, they got nice guys, but they don’t have tough, mean guys, and that’s what Donte brought to the table.”

DiVincenzo brought an edge with him that helped make the Knicks tougher as a unit. He played hard, physical, and would always go to war for his teammates if he needed to, and he quickly became a fan favorite thanks to the energy he provided.

The Knicks didn’t have the same energy on the court as last season

This past season, the energy felt off from the jump. While they remained a resilient group and showed some grit and fight, they had plenty of instances where they looked lost, not focused, and out of sync on the court.

That could largely be attributed to the sudden roster overhaul just weeks before the season began, but it was a type of energy that had the Knicks seemingly struggle to get past teams during the season and in the playoffs. The hope is that a second year with this group will have better energy.

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As for DiVincenzo, he saw his numbers regress drastically in his first season with the Timberwolves. Furthermore, he dealt with some injuries that kept him off the court for some time, but his Timberwolves team did reach the Western Conference Finals for the second consecutive season.

The trade seems to be a win-win on the surface, but New York certainly misses their top shooting threat that brought them a ton of energy.

This article first appeared on Empire Sports Media and was syndicated with permission.

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