The Minnesota Timberwolves are close to entering the 2025 NBA Playoffs as one of the hottest teams in the Association. Previously resigned to competing for a Play-In Tournament berth, Minnesota has gone 14-2 over its past 16 games to pull within a tiebreak of a playoff spot.
Whether it's the Play-In Tournament, the postseason, or both processes together, the Timberwolves will soon have their most pressing roster question answered.
Minnesota has produced one of the most compelling stories from the 2024-25 season. They were 32-29 just over a month ago, struggling to discover stability in the midst of a series of six losses in eight games.
When Julius Randle returned to the lineup on Mar. 2, however, the Timberwolves' fortune immediately changed—and the dominant run of 14 wins in 16 games began.
The success the team has experienced with Randle back in the lineup has created the need to re-evaluate his long-term fit in Minnesota. He's been the catalyst to drastic improvements, leading the Timberwolves in assists and situationally taking over as a scorer since his return.
As key reserves Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Naz Reid approach unrestricted free agency, however, Randle's contract may be the reason Minnesota is unable to re-sign either one of them.
Should the Timberwolves prioritize Julius Randle or Naz Reid?
Minnesota has significant long-term money tied up in several players, namely the trio of Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert, and Jaden McDaniels. That trio is due to make a combined $105,409,133, which is reason enough to worry if re-signing Alexander-Walker and Reid is a feasible goal.
The primary reason the answer is likely to be no, however, is the simple fact that Randle has a player option worth $30,935,520 that he could potentially accept.
Despite being a two-time All-NBA honoree, it's unclear what the market is for Randle during the 2025 period of free agency. If he finds that teams are unwilling to offer him a multi-year deal, it's entirely possible that he could return to Minnesota for another season and look to play his way into a new contract.
In that scenario, the Timberwolves would be paying $136 million to just four players—as well as the near $12 million they owe Donte DiVincenzo and the roughly $10.8 million due to Mike Conley.
Options always exist for front offices to get creative and find ways to do what fans and analysts deem impossible. If the Timberwolves are going to keep one or both of their standout reserves, however, thus preserving the crucial second unit that has helped fuel their success, they'll need to figure out the Randle situation.
That would likely require Minnesota to trade Randle's expiring contract, but even in doing so, the logistics of creating enough space to re-sign Alexander-Walker and Reid are murky at best.
For better or worse, the decision of how to proceed will be made during the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Randle has stepped up since returning from injury, and if he thrives during the playoffs, a new market may appear for him in free agency.
It's feasible that said development could result in Randle opting to decline his player option. In that event, Randle's contract coming off the books could create more wiggle room for Minnesota to re-sign Alexander-Walker and Reid.
If Randle struggles during the postseason and Reid thrives, however, Minnesota will likely have no choice but to bid the 2024 Sixth Man of the Year adieu.