There's zero question about the kind of impact Julius Randle has been providing the Minnesota Timberwolves in these playoffs. He's absolutely been their most consistent player when they've needed it most. But as far as his future outlook with the team stands, it's entirely possible his strong play could lead to him pricing himself out of Minnesota's plans, and going elsewhere this summer.
Not many could have envisioned this outcome way back in September. When Randle was traded for Karl-Anthony Towns, fans generally weren't happy and the questions about his fit on this roster were loud. A lot of supporters were ready to throw him in the trade machine and have him gone at the deadline, or the first available opportunity to ship him out.
Now, the perception of Randle couldn't be more different. He began to fit in with his teammates better as the regular season went on, and as he more fully recovered from his offseason injury. By the time we got to March, Julius was on a roll, and the only question was whether he could replicate his success in the postseason.
Those doubts have now decisively been put to sleep as well. Randle has been performing like a flat-out star in the playoffs for Minnesota, and Wolves fans are now thinking about what the team has to do to make sure he remains in the Twin Cities long-term. After all, at this point it's pretty clear that he's an even better fit for this roster than KAT was.
Randle's strong play could mean he commands a bigger payday
The problem is, the Timberwolves already have their hands full when it comes to being able to pay this roster after free agency hits. Naz Reid, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Randle are all due for paydays, and deciding who to pay without completely handicapping the front office financially will be a challenging task.
When it comes to Alexander-Walker, his level of performance since he arrived in Minnesota means he's probably playing on the best-value contract in the entire NBA. Seriously, the guy is making just $4.3 million this season. NAW will undoubtedly be getting a multi-year contract worth at least $15 to $20 million in the coming offseason.
As for Naz Reid, we know that he's expected to opt out of his current contract and seek a bigger deal this summer. Whether that payday comes from the Timberwolves or someone else remains to be seen, but he'll absolutely be making more than the $14 million he's averaged over the last two seasons in Minnesota.
That leaves the Wolves in a difficult spot when it comes to ensuring Julius Randle has a permanent spot on this roster. His play this season has unquestionably warranted him a significant pay increase, but there's just so many moving parts to consider in Minnesota.
At the end of the day, it's possible the Timberwolves tell Randle they simply aren't able to pay him what he's desiring this summer. If that becomes the case, there would feel like a high probability he goes elsewhere if another team offers to give him north of $30 million per year.