Julius Randle and the Minnesota Timberwolves agreed to a three-year $100 million contract extension ahead of free agency. Undoubtedly, this is a great deal for the Wolves. However, as the clear second option, Randle will need to show growth in two key areas: decision-making and consistency.
Randle’s shot creation proved to be an ideal fit next to Anthony Edwards in his first season with the Wolves. He averaged 18.7 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.7 assists on 48.5/34.4/80.6 shooting splits in the regular season. The playoffs were a bit of a mixed bag, despite strong overall averages of 21.7 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.9 assists on 50.2/38.5/88 shooting splits. Randle was brilliant in the first two rounds, but after the first game in the Western Conference Finals, he wasn’t very impactful.
Notably, Randle averaged 25.2 points against the Golden State Warriors in the second round and 22.6 points against the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. Furthermore, Randle averaged 5.9 assists and 3.1 turnovers in these two rounds. However, against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Finals, Randle averaged just 17.4 points, 3 assists, and 3.6 turnovers. Excluding Game 1, he averaged just 14.8 points. Randle was able to take advantage of the smaller Lakers and Warriors but struggled against the Thunder’s elite defense and size. OKC is the standard in the West, and Randle needs to prove he can perform against them.
Randle's consistency will be vital for the Wolves' title chances
Throughout his career, inconsistent play has been a key problem for Randle, and the playoffs highlighted this. Even the regular season showed this as Randle got off to a slow start. For the Wolves to break through and win the title, they’ll need consistent production from Randle. Decision-making was another key problem for Randle against the Thunder. During this series, he struggled to make the right reads when double-teamed and often took ill-advised shots. When Randle is at his best, he can generate easy shots around the rim and is impactful as a secondary playmaker.
One area of growth Randle showed in the playoffs was 3-point shooting, where he netted 38.5 percent of his shots from beyond the arc. Despite Randle’s struggles against OKC, he shot 47.8 percent from 3. However, he shot just 34.4 from beyond the arc in the regular season and is a career 33.4 3-point shooter. Randle shooting closer to his playoff average is necessary to maximize his impact next to Edwards.
Re-signing Randle was a no-brainer given the value of this contract and his importance as a shot creator. However, Randle will need to be more consistent and make better decisions for the Wolves to win a title with him as the second option. Ultimately, Randle is the most important player and could sway the Wolves' title chances.