I previously wrote an article about three point guards whothe Timberwolves could trade Julius Randle for. Regardless, there are other star point guards who could be available, yet trading Randle for one of them simply wouldn't be worth it.
Despite some of the frustrations that come with having Randle as your second option, he's been a big catalyst for the Wolves' success almost all year, and if they trade him, the return has to be worthwhile.
Number 1: LaMelo Ball
It's not a guarantee that Ball would be available at the deadline, but there have been rumblings that the Hornets want to shift their team to be built primarily around Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller, leaving Ball as a potential odd man out. But even if he is available, I wouldn't include Randle in a possible deal.
Ball has undeniable raw talent; he has limitless range, special playmaking skills, and a handle to boot, all while being a 6-foot-7 point guard. However, I'm not convinced his play style translates to winning; he's often erratic and has maddening shot selection.
On top of this, he's battled injuries for the majority of his career. Now you're probably confused why I'd trade Randle for Ja Morant and not for Ball. It comes down to the fact that we've seen Morant's play translate to winning basketball; we have yet to really see that from LaMelo.
Number 2: Darius Garland
The Cleveland Cavaliers have underperformed this season, and there's a slim but non-zero chance that they could look for a roster shakeup at the deadline. Darius Garland has battled injuries (more like the same injury many times). Nevertheless, when he's healthy, he's a top playmaker in the NBA and is a deadly three-level scorer.
While he's been a part of some really good regular-season teams, he's struggled to be available in the playoffs, and I simply don't think his ceiling is high enough to justify trading a guy like Randle for. He has a similar playstyle to Ja Morant, if you swapped the outside shooting and athleticism. But Morant's ceiling is substantially higher.
Literally anyone else
The rest of the point guards in the league are either not going to get traded or are far worse than Julius Randle. If the Wolves are going to part ways with their second option less than two years after acquiring him, it needs to be the right move. Randle has produced All-Star numbers this year on a team-friendly deal, and if the perfect deal doesn't show itself, there is zero harm in keeping Randle around.