When the Timberwolves made their second consecutive Western Conference Finals appearance last season, Julius Randle was a huge reason as to why. He completely dominated the Lakers in the first round and the Warriors in the second, before unfortunately running into the Thunder in the conference finals, which posed a difficult matchup for him.
That playoff run silenced many of Julius Randle's doubters, who rightfully had questions about his ability to contribute to high-level playoff basketball after underwhelming playoff performances during his time with the Knicks. At the same time, Randle's inconsistent play is a clear problem for the Timberwolves.
Rob Mahoney from The Ringer recently described this dilemma on an appearance on the Zach Lowe Show. "The Timberwolves are a very convincing Western Conference challenger, and I think that the best version of the team relies very heavily on Julius Randle having his head screwed on just so."
Mahoney makes a strong case here. Randle is one of the players that unlocks both Minnesota's ceiling and floor. However, his volatility can be both a blessing and a curse, and the version that Minnesota gets in the playoffs will determine how far they go.
Beyond this season, it can be seen as a tryout for the future, whether the Wolves feel comfortable with Randle as their secondary star, or if they need someone either better or a different fit to unlock the team's full potential.
Randle can steer or sink the Wolves ship in the playoffs
In the first two playoff series last season, Randle was arguably playing at a higher level more consistently than Anthony Edwards. But in the last one, he didn't adjust to the Thunder's handsy, physical style of defense, and his poor performance was a big reason for the Wolves getting sent home in five games.
He sometimes gets too jump shot happy, I like to call it Jayson Tatum syndrome. A player with the physical tools to get to the rim at will, but continues to settle for contested jumpers early in the clock. This style of offense and Randle's propensity to hold the ball for a while with his back facing the basket play right into what teams like the Thunder do best.
If Randle can get off the ball quicker and recognize what the right plays are faster, then he can be a real asset on a Wolves team that has championship aspirations. Conversely, if he reverts to some of his old roots, the Wolves would be better off with Naz Reid taking his spot in closing lineups.