When the Minnesota Timberwolves brought in Julius Randle in the trade for Karl-Anthony Towns, they did so understanding the risk that came with that decision. Randle has a player option for next season. If things go south in Minnesota this year, he can make the choice to decline that option and take his talents elsewhere.
But what the Timberwolves gave themselves was an evaluation window where they could make their own determination about Randle's future with the team. If they so choose, Minnesota can maintain control over Randle's situation and deal him away before he has a chance to leave for nothing.
It is fair to say that while Randle has been far from awful in the Twin Cities, there are certainly some reasons to be skeptical of his long-term fit as the team's starting power forward. With that in mind, the Wolves could hypothetically be open to listening to trade offers for him, even this early in the process.
This week, Bleacher Report imagined several trades for various teams around the league, and their Julius Randle proposal between the Timberwolves and Houston Rockets is certainly an interesting one.
Timberwolves would likely do this trade in a heartbeat
I think what stands out right away from this hypothetical trade is just how big of a win it would be for Minnesota. Randle has done good things in a Wolves uniform, but the uncertainty of what his future holds is the bothersome part. If the front office sensed that he was likely to move on, getting this kind of return would be a dream come true.
What the Timberwolves were always searching for when trying to replace KAT was production in the frontcourt. They have that for now in Randle, but this trade could set them up even better in that department in the long run. Jabari Smith, while still young and a bit raw, has plenty of upside and is also closer in age to Anthony Edwards.
As for Steven Adams and Jeff Green, these are two solid veterans that would bring a lot of needed leadership and togetherness to the locker room in Minnesota. Add in the second-round pick as well, and it is hard to think of a better return for Randle.
Now obviously, this trade is not happening. The Rockets are not giving up that much for Randle. But if Houston's front office for some reason decided to throw this offer on the table, it is hard to see Tim Connelly and company not accepting it immediately.