Julius Randle could play an unexpected role in the Wolves' championship pursuit

After back-to-back conference finals appearances, the Minnesota Timberwolves are eyeing a title jump. Undoubtedly, Julius Randle will play a vital role in the Wolves' championship chances. One area of Randle's game that is underrated is his playmaking. The Kentucky product may take on an even bigger playmaking burden than last season.

Recently, on The Dane Moore NBA Podcast, Moore and his guest Kyle Theige discussed the possibility of Randle becoming more of the Wolves' primary initiator.

The Wolves' need for another playmaker

The Wolves' point guard situation has been well-documented. Mike Conley is turning 38 in October, and Rob Dillingham is entering just his second season. Regardless of his declining scoring, Conley serves as the ultimate organizer, and his decision-making is crucial to the Wolves' success. While Dillingham is a solid playmaker, his main strength is scoring, and it's unclear if he's ready to orchestrate an offense.

As a result, many people are wondering who will be the Wolves' stabilizing force when Conley is off the court. This was a key issue last season and could only become more problematic with Conley's minutes likely being reduced.

Of course, many people would point to the idea of Anthony Edwards taking strides as a playmaker and adjusting to this organizer role. Edwards is undoubtedly the Wolves' go-to scorer and thus initiates much of the team's offense. At 24, it's certainly possible that Edwards grows as a playmaker, which could help the Wolves reach another level as contenders.

Regardless, it's a lot of responsibility to be tasked with being the go-to scorer and having to set up everyone else as an organizer. There's actually a good amount of evidence that Randle could be better prepared to handle this responsibility.

Randle is poised to take on a bigger role as a playmaker

Randle's 4.7 assists led the Wolves last season, and he averaged fewer turnovers (2.8) than Edwards (3.2). After returning from injury, Randle was given more playmaking duties in the final 21 games of the season, where Minnesota posted a 17-4 record. Randle also averaged 4.9 assists in the playoffs. While Randle struggled as a playmaker in the Western Conference finals, there's no denying his playmaking was key to the Wolves' success throughout the season.

The 6-foot-9 forward often took on a point forward role with the New York Knicks and has averaged 5-plus assists three times in his career. Randle will naturally command fewer double teams than Edwards, which could make orchestrating the offense more manageable for him. This could also open up more opportunities for Edwards as a shooter.

Randle is a gifted all-around passer, but he especially thrives on passing out of drive-and-kick plays. A skill set that benefits Edwards and the rest of the Wolves' shooters. The 30-year-old veteran also has the experience and awareness to be a trusted facilitator. Empowering Randle more as a playmaker could be the perfect solution to one of the Wolves' biggest flaws.

The Wolves will likely spread out the playmaking responsibilities outside of Conley. Edwards, Dillingham, Naz Reid, Jaden McDaniels, Donte DiVincenzo, and Terrence Shannon Jr. will all get some responsibilities. Nevertheless, Randle could earn the largest amount of these playmaking duties. Randle's secondary shot creation abilities are well-discussed, but his impact as a playmaker could end up being more important in the Wolves' quest to win a championship.