When the Minnesota Timberwolves signed Julius Randle to a three-year $100 million contract this summer, I don't think the value of this deal was praised enough. I'm not just saying this now; I thought so at the time, too. Getting an All-NBA caliber player for an average annual value of $33 million is an absurd bargain, and from the moment this deal was announced, it was clear that the Wolves got an absolute steal.
Randle had an up-and-down first season with Minnesota. However, this is understandable given the shocking trade just before the season. Additionally, Randle found his groove late in the season and put together a stellar postseason. After a Western Conference finals run, it was clear that Randle was the ideal co-star next to Anthony Edwards.
With Randle putting together a career season so far, this contract looks even better. In fact, it's easily one of the best value contracts in the league.
3 years, $100M for Julius Randle when you look at the other contracts out there...
— Dane Moore (@DaneMooreNBA) November 8, 2025
The value of Randle's contract is incredible
11 games into the season, Randle is averaging 25.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.2 assists on 53.9/40/87.8 shooting splits. Furthermore, he ranks third in isolation points per possession and leads the Wolves in assists. Randle's shot creation and playmaking have been crucial to the Wolves' success. This skill set is a perfect complement to Edwards. Randle is one of the main reasons the Wolves could break through and make a championship run.
Undoubtedly, Randle looks like a legit top-25 player this season. The Kentucky product seems poised for his fourth All-Star selection, and a third All-NBA honor could be in the cards as well. However, Randle is just the 61st highest-paid player this season.
Even if you're not as optimistic as I am about Randle, it's hard to argue he's anything worse than a top 40 player and that this contract isn't fantastic value.
Jalen Green, Michael Porter Jr., Immanuel Quickley, and Jrue Holiday are a few notable players who make slightly more than Randle. Then there are albatross contracts like the Paul George deal; he makes $52.8 million per year.
I don't want to dwell on the Randle-Karl-Anthony Towns trade, but it's worth noting that Towns makes $22 million more than Randle annually. This trade not only gave Edwards a co-star who better complements him, but it also helped the Wolves hang onto Reid and bolster their depth with Donte DiVincenzo.
Overall, getting a championship-level second option on a deal similar to what many teams are paying high-end starters is incredible value. As the Wolves try to win a championship, Randle's impact and the extra financial flexibility from his contract will benefit the team.