Julius Randle has been nothing short of incredible during the early portion of the season. Nine games in, Randle is averaging 25.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 6.3 assists on stellar 55.5/42.6/86.4 shooting splits. When the Minnesota Timberwolves first traded for Randle from the New York Knicks, it was a controversial move. However, it's worked out wonderfully for the Wolves, who made their second straight Western Conference finals in part due to Randle's exceptional contributions last playoffs.
Even still, some people (not necessarily Wolves fans) are wondering if Randle could be traded again, given Minnesota's need for a point guard and surplus of frontcourt players. Recently, to the delight of Wolves fans, trusted NBA insider Jake Fischer shut down these rumors.
"They [Minnesota] also really value Julius Randle being a secondary playmaker/creator next to Ant, taking some of the pressure off him as a primary ball-handler, Fischer said. That was something that they valued in that trade that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks. I really don't see them looking to trade Randle at all."
As Fischer pointed out, Randle's skill set makes him an ideal co-star next to Anthony Edwards. With how great he's been playing and the amazing value of his three-year $100 million contract, there would be no reason to trade him, even if the Wolves go point guard hunting at the deadline.
Trading Julius Randle would make no sense for the Timberwolves
To win a championship, you need two elite-level creators. Of course, Edwards is one, but Randle has proven to be an elite second option as well. His 1.47 points per isolation rank 98th in the percentile. Additionally, he is a gifted playmaker who led the Wolves in assists.
Randle makes awesome reads off drives (which opens up opportunities for Edwards as a shooter), and he can also be used as an offensive hub at the high post. Undoubtedly, this skill set makes him an upgrade from Karl-Anthony Towns, especially when accounting for salary. Overall, Randle has an absurd +26.4 net on/off swing on offense, highlighting his immense impact.
Frankly, I don't think the Wolves would be able to find a better second option than Randle on the open market. And if they somehow did, it would likely mean taking on significantly more money. That's something that simply wouldn't be worth it for the Wolves.
Again, the Wolves could very well be active during the trade deadline, and point guard is a clear area of need. Nevertheless, opposing fanbases can stop dreaming of Randle being traded as he's clearly staying put.