Life throws a lot of curve balls in sports and this offseason, the NBA saw two of the biggest ones in recent history. You can only guess the subject being the trades of Klay Thompson and Donte DiVincenzo. While the former’s exit from the Bay Area outscales the historic and emotional impact of the latter, Donte’s split from his Villanova boys has the potential to be one of the best what if stories of the league. But what transpired after the Timberwolves vs Knicks game on Sunday, we can easily conclude, that there’s some level of animosity lingering.

While the post-game saw wholesome moments between Anthony Edwards and Karl-Anthony Towns, the same can’t be said for the former Knicks reunion. Knicks coach Rick Brunson had to be pulled away from a surprising spat with Donte DiVincenzo which was later clarified by the guard. “I didn’t say thank you for the trade… It was about the finish. I was joking with Thibs about not being able to finish…I wasn’t talking to Thibs. I didn’t say anything about the trade,” DiVincenzo said fact-checking the viral claims about the trade. Adding another layer to it, former NBA star, Chandler Parsons revealed that he saw a clear picture in Donte’s reaction that is relatable to, you guessed it, Klay Thompson.

During the latest episode of Run It Back, the former Mavs forward highlighted that there were rumors about DiVincenzo not being onboard about the Knicks’ Villanova plan. Justifying the act, Parsons added, “Just because you played college with someone doesn’t mean you have to be friends with them and stay close to them through your NBA career. This just kinda answers all my question I had about that whether that was true or not.” He further stated, “Obviously, there’s some sort of animosity here. You see him do the GQ things in the podcast with the boys, so I don’t think there’s any beef there.”

Klay Thompson felt that he wasn’t respected in his former team and entered the free agency to eventually moved to the Mavericks. Much like Klay and the Warriors, Donte and his former team’s split ended on a bitter note. Despite reports of Donte being unhappy with his situation in New York after Mikal Bridges’ arrival, the guard dismissed them by confessing his love for the life with his Knicks brethren. But before the shocking turn of events in the Knicks-Timberwolves post-game, DiVincenzo was all praises about his season in the New York franchise.

Donte DiVincenzo expressed his feelings for New York fans before entering the court

“My love for Knicks fans is through the roof,” Donte DiVincenzo told the reporters before suiting up for the Timberwolves. “I’ve said it — it was one of my best years of my life playing here last year. It’s something you dream about doing.”

DiVincenzo confessed, “I didn’t plan to get traded. I didn’t sign here thinking, ‘I’m signing a four-year deal, I hope I get traded a year in.’ So that’s that part of it. You always got to separate the business aspect with the fans.” This sentiment was on display even on the court when mics caught DiVincenzo saying, “That’s what happens when they let you run the show,” to Thibodeau on the Knicks bench. He concluded his press talk by saying that the fans will hold a special place in his heart and that the energy of Madison Square Garden also feels special.

Though DiVincenzo entertained with his 15-point performance, his former side had the last laugh. Nevertheless, the tables could turn on their next meeting in the regular season game where the level of drama and thrill are expected to be higher.