Julius Randle deserves far more credit than he receives for resurrecting the New York Knicks. Two years before Jalen Brunson arrived, it was Randle who put the Knicks on his back and improbably ended the franchise's eight-year postseason drought.
Unfortunately, recent events with the Minnesota Timberwolves have proven that New York made the right decision to move on from Randle after five seasons.
The Knicks traded Randle to the Timberwolves in a deal that will likely be celebrated for years to come. Karl-Anthony Towns has hit the ground running in New York, turning in what may very well be the best season of his career.
Towns has appeared in 38 of the Knicks' 42 games, recording averages of 25.4 points, 13.9 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.0 steal, 0.8 blocks, and 2.2 three-point field goals made per game.
Back in Minnesota, Randle has regrettably struggled to play at the All-NBA level he's accustomed to delivering at. He's producing well at 19.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 2.1 offensive boards, 4.3 assists, and 1.6 three-point field goals made per contest, but the context has been disheartening.
The latest development in what's shaping up to be a chapter of Randle's career that he would rather soon forget has further cemented the trade between the Knicks and Timberwolves as one-sided.
Former Knicks star Julius Randle struggling to find his place in Minnesota
Randle and the Timberwolves have seemingly been at odds since the moment the opening tip took place. There's admittedly a learning curve to be expected for a ball-dominant player going to a team with both an All-NBA scoring guard and a four-time Defensive Player of the Year who can clog the paint.
The issue has taken on new life, however, as Randle left the Timberwolves' most recent game before the buzzer had sounded.
Bad vibes from Julius Randle, who has been increasingly benched during clutch time in Minnesota. Left before the final buzzer on national TV on Wed.
— Mr. Statistician Face Man (@tomhaberstroh) January 17, 2025
On the latest @KevinOConnorNBA Show: pic.twitter.com/7FmLZAlbcW
Disregarded in clutch moments and now seen walking off the court early, it looks like the Randle era in Minnesota could be ending sooner than anticipated. Naz Reid certainly has the benefit of experience in Chris Finch's system, but the writing appears to be on the wall nonetheless.
Randle has a $30,935,520 player option for the 2025-26 season and it's looking less than likely that he'll accept it if that means returning to Minnesota.
Perhaps the two sides will wait it out, hoping to find a middle ground that suits both parties. Randle is, after all, a dynamic talent with postseason experience and All-NBA nods on his résumé who has proven to help teams win.
Unfortunately, at the rate it's going, it seems unlikely that the Timberwolves will be the team that Randle helps reach the playoffs in 2024-25 or beyond.