Julius Randle is a three-time All-Star and two-time All-NBA player. He was seen as arguably the biggest All-Star snub this year. The 12-year veteran finished the regular season with 12 games scoring at least 30 points.
Despite all of this, nearly the whole fanbase wants Randle dealt after an atrocious postseason from the 31-year-old. On Wednesday, Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon spoke on the Minnesota Timberwolves’ upcoming offseason. When it comes to potentially trading Randle, Vecenie said,
“Phoenix honestly to me makes the most sense. But you probably have to find a third team that values Jalen Green and is going to bring back an asset or something like that.”
The Suns make sense for Randle as they have a glaring hole at the power forward spot and could benefit from some extra shot creation alongside Devin Booker. Even still, it could be difficult for the Wolves to get real value back.
Hard to find suitors for Julius Randle
Randle is still productive in his early 30s. His trade value is nowhere near its peak, though, after a postseason where he shot 39 percent from the field, 24.4 percent from 3-point distance, and finished with the same amount of turnovers as assists (34 each). It’s the third time in the four years Randle has played in the playoffs that his efficiency has fallen off a cliff.
That makes it difficult to see a contending team wanting him. Despite Vecenie and Simon agreeing on the Suns as a suitor for Randle, they had difficulty thinking of an exact trade.
They got to Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale being close to working financially, but (rightfully) didn’t believe that would entice Minnesota to make a deal. Unless the Suns are willing to part ways with Jalen Green, a third team would need to be involved, and even then, there's no certainty that the Wolves get ideal value back.
Randle’s contract isn’t a complete albatross. The 2014 first-round pick is signed for $33.33 million in 2026-27 and has a player option valued at $35.8 million in 2027-28. My assumption would be that Randle picks up that player option, barring something resembling a career-best year from him next season. This fairly manageable contract could help the Wolves.
When looking around at other possible suitors, though, it's hard to find teams that Randle's playstyle would perfectly fit with. The Brooklyn Nets could be another option. But would they give up Nic Claxton? Or if it's centered around Michael Porter Jr., would Minnesota have to give up more?
Thus, even if it's not an ideal return something like the proposed Phoenix offer might be Minnesota's best chance to move off Randle.
This offseason marks one of the most intriguing in the Timberwolves franchise history. While many expect Randle to be traded, it may not be a smooth process after Randle’s playoff woes.
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