The basketball world was shocked when they learned about the trade that sent Karl-Anthony Towns to New York in exchange for Julius Randle. Be that as it may, the trade made perfect sense, especially when you look at Randle’s shot-making ability. Viewers of the Timberwolves’ first two games saw two completely different versions of their newest star, and it’s pretty obvious which version Chris Finch wants to see.
Julius Randle Needs to Be Aggressive for Minnesota
Minnesota lacked players who could score in iso situations; Anthony Edwards was the only consistent scorer off the dribble. Getting Rob Dillingham was a start, but the Timberwolves don’t want to wait for him to make rookie mistakes. He is young, and some of those mistakes could cost them games. Randle is a certified bucket in one-on-one matchups, and he is capable of being a number-one option on many other teams.
Opening Night Was Far Too Underwhelming
In Minnesota, Randle is the number two option behind Edwards, which means he will take slightly fewer shots. Notice how I said slightly fewer. In the first game against the Lakers, he took way fewer shots, and it opened the door for J.J. Reddick to send everything he had at Anthony Edwards without regard for other potential threats. Notably, Randle had just 10 field goal attempts compared to Edwards’ 25. With all due respect to Julius, sometimes being selfish is the best option.
He looked like a role player on most possessions, not the star that he is. The Timberwolves cannot afford to have Julius Randle act like the new guy. He needs to be aggressive and hunt for his shot. Furthermore, Dillingham did not play in that first game, meaning that Randle’s scoring ability is even more crucial while the youngster sits on the bench.
Randle Looked Much Better Against The Kings and Raptors
Against the Sacramento Kings, fans saw a much more assertive player, as Randle scored 33 points on 13-17 shooting, including 5-6 from three, which is an area of his game he has worked to improve. He took advantage of multiple size mismatches and wasn’t afraid to attack the paint. He and Anthony Edwards were the only starters in double-digits, both scoring 30+ and adding four assists. They played like the one-two punch Wolves fans hoped they would get when the trade became official. This aggressive yet effective play continued against the Toronto Raptors, where Randle and Edwards paced Minnesota with 24 points each. Randle and Edwards led the Timberwolves to their second win for the season.
That version of Julius Randle allowed him to become an All-Star in New York. It is the version that Tim Connely hoped would propel Minnesota to the top of the Western Conference. He promised this fanbase that this would be his best season yet. Way to give the fans optimism, Julius, but now you have to go out and execute.
How This Helps Randle’s Fellow Superstar
Not only does Randle’s ability to make shots help take the load off of Ant-Man’s shoulders, but it also opens up more opportunities for Ant to be a threat without the basketball.
When Randle draws extra defenders by attacking the paint, shooters will be open. Edwards is a capable three-point shooter, but he missed a lot of wide-open catch-and-shoot triples last year because he just didn’t get a lot of those opportunities. During the offseason, he worked tirelessly on his three-point shot, especially off the catch.
Improvement was noticeably visible while Ant was playing for Team USA at the Paris Olympics, where stars like LeBron James and Kevin Durant were constantly given extra attention that left the guards wide open on the perimeter. As a result, Edwards had more than a few opportunities to launch from deep.
Randle Is the Offensive Key to Contention
Minnesota is on a quest to be the top dog in the West this year. All the other top teams have multiple isolation threats. Dallas has Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, Denver has Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, OKC has Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren, and that’s only the beginning.
Very few teams can defend at the level that Minnesota did last season. The offense needs to be able to consistently produce at a high level; it’s a lot easier to play defense after a successful possession that ends with a basket, and it limits opponents’ transition opportunities. That lack of consistency during the Dallas series got them eliminated, and no one wants to see a relapse.
Julius Randle is the missing puzzle piece for this offense. His aggressiveness will boost the play of Edwards and give role players more opportunities to focus on defense rather than offense. A 33-point performance is a start, but it’s a long season. His macho as an established scorer needs to be a pattern. If he can deliver on that end, Timberwolves fans should start getting playoff tickets early and prepare for a deep playoff run.
