Nigerian basketball star James Nnaji will join the New York Knicks as part of a major trade deal involving Julius Randle and Karl-Anthony Towns. The preseason deal between the Charlotte Hornets, New York Knicks, and Minnesota Timberwolves has now been finalized.
In this three-team trade, the Knicks will receive Karl-Anthony Towns from the Timberwolves, while Julius Randle will head to Minnesota. Along with Nnaji, the Knicks will also receive three second-round picks and three sign-and-trade players from the Hornets: Charlie Brown Jr., Duane Washington Jr., and DaQuan Jeffries.
James Nnaji, a 20-year-old Nigerian center, was one of the youngest and most physically gifted players in the 2023 NBA Draft. Though initially expected to go in the first round, he was eventually picked in the second round. Nnaji has been playing in Europe with Barcelona, currently on loan at Girona.
Nnaji is now set to team up with fellow Nigerian star Precious Achiuwa on the Knicks, marking a new chapter in his promising NBA career.