From the day that he arrived in the Twin Cities, Julius Randle was always going to be fighting an uphill battle. Minnesota Timberwolves fans had loved Karl-Anthony Towns for almost a decade as he proudly represented their franchise. Seeing him traded away and ultimately replaced by Randle was a difficult sight to see, and it obviously made many lukewarm to the idea of Julius.
Such is a natural feeling when dealing with replacing someone who Wolves fans had held so dearly in their heart. But from Randle's side of things, it meant having perhaps somewhat unfair expectations placed on him from day one. He was going to have to far outdo KAT's play right away for the Minnesota faithful to not sit around and complain that Towns was no longer in their locker room.
When he did not massively exceed expectations from the jump, it of course jumpstarted conversations of trading him. But as time goes on, we are seeing many of those who called for him to be packaged at the trade deadline begin to see Randle in a different light.
Randle's play has been excellent since his return
Since he returned from his groin injury, Julius has been playing some excellent basketball, and he has been a huge team player. Not hunting individual stats, Randle has been doing everything the team needs as of late, and it has shown with Minnesota being undefeated (3-0) since he came back.
When asked about what he learned about his team in his absence from the court on Wednesday, Randle had this to say. "I think just the pace," Julius said. "The ball movement and pace, and being able to screen, set good screens, how that opens up things. And just playing faster."
In terms of how he has been able to make an adjustment to playing a style that better suits Minnesota, Randle believes it happened in phases. "I was able to just sit out, kind of evaluate, and then figure out how I can put it all together ... Whether it's playing off the ball more and cutting, or setting screens, or attacking when I have it, or playmaking, or whatever it is that coach needs from me. Just recognizing those moments and situations and trying to execute the best I can."
With what Randle has been doing, he has completely changed the overall opinion of the Timberwolves' fanbase. Whereas the majority of fans did not see how he could help this team before, he is now beginning to settle in to a style of play that has flipped the perception of many. Should he keep this up, Wolves nation may even want to see him re-sign in Minnesota this summer.