Julius Randle is a fantastic offensive player, and that has never been more evident than it has been with the Minnesota Timberwolves this year. However, his defensive shortcomings are biting the team in the butt.
Randle joined the Timberwolves with multiple All-Star nods and multiple seasons in which he scored 20-plus points per game. However, some still questioned the team's decision to add him in a deal that sent Karl-Anthony Towns away.
While he isn't on Towns' level, Randle has proven that he is a good offensive fit with the Timberwolves alongside Anthony Edwards. This year, Randle is averaging 22.3 points per game. His bully-ball isolation game helps take the pressure off Edwards' shoulders.
Furthermore, Randle's playmaking ability has paid off in a big way for Minnesota. The team lacks point guard depth, but Randle is facilitating more than ever before, evidenced by his team-high 5.8 assists per game mark. The defense has been a different story, though.
Julius Randle's defense is costing the Timberwolves
Defense has been the Timberwolves' bread and butter in recent years, and it has played a large part in why the team has back-to-back Western Conference Finals appearances. Edwards is one of the rare superstars who excels on both ends of the floor, Jaden McDaniels is an excellent defensive partner in crime, and Rudy Gobert is known as one of the best defensive players ever because of his four Defensive Player of the Year trophies.
The defense was expected to take a step back this year. Not only is Gobert getting older and slowing down on that end, but Nickeil Alexander-Walker joined the Atlanta Hawks in free agency. While the defense isn't bad, it hasn't been as elite as fans have become accustomed to. Minnesota is just 11th in opponents' points per game (114.6), and Randle's flaws play a big role in that.
For starters, despite being 6-foot-9, 250 pounds, Randle offers next to no shot blocking ability. In fact, Randle only has five blocked shots on the entire season. That is fewer than Bones Hyland, a thin and undersized guard. This is far from ideal as Randle has struggled on the perimeter, too.
The Kentucky product gets beat off the dribble far too often, and his closeouts on jump shots are often far too slow. Randle gets exposed in the pick-and-roll because of questionable switching and screen navigation abilities, too. Worst of all, he often plays plain lazy on the defensive end.
Randle is a physically gifted athlete, so his defensive struggles are unacceptable. The power forward needs to pick up the intensity and play with a constant motor. He also needs to use his size to his advantage inside. Simple fixes will go a long way in not only fixing his defensive issues but also improving the team's defense as a whole.
If Randle can combine proficient defense with his stellar offensive game, the sky would be the limit for what this Timberwolves team can do.