NEW YORK — It wasn’t all sunshine and roses for Donte DiVincenzo’s return to Madison Square Garden.
The former Knick appeared to bark at the New York bench and head coach Tom Thibodeau during the first quarter of the Knicks’ 115-1110 exhibition victory, and was then separated post-game from Knicks assistant Rick Brunson. The elder Brunson is the father of Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and the former head coach at Camden High School.
“Just some words. I don’t fully know what was said. A lot of people there,” DiVincenzo said, per The Athletic. “But I really have no comment on the situation. We’re both grown men and can talk about it privately.”
DiVincenzo was appearing in his first game back at the Garden since the blockbuster trade that dealt him and Julius Randle to the Wolves for New Jersey native Karl-Anthony Towns.
While shooting a free throw during the first quarter, the former Villanova guard directed some comments towards the Knicks bench, and appeared to be targeting head coach Tom Thibodeau.
Several online postings said DiVincenco said: “Thank you for the trade Thibs. Thank you for the trade… that’s what happens when they let you run the show. That’s what happens when they let you run the show.
But in a post-game interview in the locker room with Stefan Bondy of the NY Post, DiVincenzo said he did not say that.
“I didn’t say thanks for the trade,” he said. “I didn’t say thanks for the trade. It was about the finish. I was joking with Thibs about not being able to finish, giving him a hard time. I wasn’t talking to Thibs.”
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After the game, Rick Brunson directed some words at DiVincenzo as he approached the Knicks bench with a towel over his head. He could be overheard saying, “I was talking to Thibs.”
At that point, Jalen Brunson put his arm around his former teammate to calm him down.
The Knicks won behind Jalen Brunson’s 24 points, 6 assists and 3 rebounds and 16 points and 16 rebounds from Towns.
DiVincenzo drained his first two 3-pointers of the night and finished with 15 points, 7 assists and 3 rebounds while Anthony Edwards led all scorers with 31 points.
“I’m not extra motivated (by the trade). It’s just the fact, take the team out of it, that I get to play in (Madison Square) Garden,” DiVincenzo said, per The Athletic. “I have so much love for these fans. The energy in there is absolutely amazing. That’s where the energy and motivation comes from. It has nothing to do with (the trade).”
“I’ve been traded before,” he added. “I’ve gone back to the team that I’ve played for. There’s no extra whatever on top of it. But the Garden fans add a little extra to it. It was special.”
Before the game, Wolves coach Chris Finch said his team had been high on DiVincenzo for some time.
“We’ve coveted him for a while,” he said. “I didn’t know his shooting was going to be that explosive. We love his overall game, his off-ball skills were on display at Golden State, his cutting, moving, finishing, the athleticism in a nd round the rim. We felt he could shoot the ball. The rebounding, the defense, and I think in our system there’ll be some more secondary play-making opportunities.”
Finch called DiVincenzo an “ideal fit” next to Anthony Edwards.
The teams will meet again in the regular season on Dec. 19 in Minnesota, and then at the Garden on Jan. 17.
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Adam Zagoria is a freelance reporter who covers Seton Hall and NJ college basketball for NJ Advance Media. You may follow him on Twitter @AdamZagoria and check out his Website at ZAGSBLOG.com.
