Recently, Minnesota Timberwolves star Julius Randle appeared on Dr. Daniel Amen's podcast. The two discussed a variety of topics, but early on in the show, Randle opened up about the blockbuster trade that sent him from the New York Knicks to Minnesota.
“I remember [my wife] being very excited for me. For me? I was really down when it happened. I was ready for a fresh start, but also, when you spend five years somewhere and put everything you have into something…I’m the type of person who wants to see everything through. It’s like I got that taken away from me, and I just felt bad. But at the same time, I was ready for a new start. I just didn’t know how to adjust.”
The Wolves famously traded Karl-Anthony Towns in exchange for Randle, along with Donte DiVincenzo and a first-round pick (which became Joan Beringer). Being traded can be tough for any NBA player to process, but this is especially true in Randle's case, as this deal took place just days before training camp.
Additionally, the Knicks upgraded their roster during the 2024 offseason, and Randle appeared to be a key part of their core. However, an injury to Mitchell Robinson had New York searching for ways to upgrade their center depth. It was reported that the two sides had talked about this deal for a while, but the Knicks eventually included DiVincenzo after Robinson's injury. Nevertheless, this deal came out of nowhere for Randle, and after helping turn the Knicks franchise around, being traded was especially so late in the offseason was unexpected.
Randle found his groove late last season, and this should carry over to this year
Randle's last point about being unsure about how to adjust is a crucial one. And it's something that was on full display watching Randle and the Wolves play. The Kentucky product posted solid averages of 18.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists during the first 48 games of the season. However, the Wolves were just 27-21 during this stretch, and it was clear they were having trouble integrating Randle into the offense.
After missing some time with an injury, Randle returned and found his groove with the team in the final 21 games of the season. Randle's playmaking (5.2 assists) and shooting (39.8 percent from beyond the arc) were especially impressive to close the season. Most importantly, this led to winning as the Wolves were 17-4 in the last 21 games.
Randle carried this over to a career-best playoffs, where he averaged 21.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.9 assists on 50.2/38.5/88 shooting splits. He proved to be the perfect secondary creator and playmaker next to Edwards. As Randle prepares for his second season with the Wolves, it's fair to expect this version of him, since he is already acclimated to the team. While Randle was certainly caught off guard by the trade, it's clear Minnesota was the perfect landing spot for him, and he has fully embraced the team.
The Wolves leaned into their continuity this offseason by re-signing Randle and Naz Reid. This should be a massive advantage for Minnesota as they look to make their first NBA Finals appearance in franchise history. With Randle (and DiVincenzo) being comfortable with the Timberwolves now, it's fair to expect the team to have a better season than last year.