Julius Randle is settling in with the Minnesota Timberwolves

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Kyden Randle could have been the hottest kid in New York, especially amongst New York Knicks fans. The son of New York Knicks forward Julius Randle was beloved for his passion and humorousness during his father’s home games. But just two days before Knicks training camp, Randle learned he was not a Knick and broke the news to his son, who had already began school.

“The biggest impact it had was on my family,” Randle told Andscape after the Minnesota Timberwolves’ 117-115 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Oct. 24. “My oldest son went to high school. He will likely be 8 years old in December. He’s been going to high school with all his best friends for two.5 years they usually began school. It was difficult for him. This was really the hardest part…

“I gave him the news, just being honest, telling him I used to be traded to Minnesota. I told him it was best for him, our family and me personally. I attempted doing little things to excite him. He’s a giant fan of (Minnesota Vikings wide receiver) Justin Jefferson. Then he was enthusiastic about Ant (Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards) and being on the team. New house. You just need to seek out a option to trick him a bit.

Randle himself was “a little shocked by the moment” when he was traded from the Knicks to the Timberwolves on Oct. 3 for four-time All-Star forward Karl Anthony-Towns and guard Donte DiVincenzo. It wasn’t like Randle was unaware of this. trade rumors, but it surely’s rare for a trade to occur this near training camp. Although the Timberwolves have made plenty of changes over the past yr, Randle told Andscape that he thinks he’ll fit in well this season.

Randle averaged 22.6 points, 9.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists for the Knicks during the 2019-2024 season. All three of his NBA All-Star appearances got here in New York. The 2021 NBA Most Improved Player led the Knicks to the 2020 playoffs for the first time after an eight-year hiatus. Just days before the deal, Randle also established a basketball court in New York City, named in his honor, at the Earl Monroe New Renaissance Basketball School, after raising greater than $1.3 million for the institution.

“What really unnerved me was that it was so close to training camp,” Randle said of the trade. “We had a training camp in two or three days. My mind was able to go to Charleston (South Carolina) for training camp. It took me an evening or two (to simply accept it). The next morning. I used to be very completely happy because I forgot about all the things else and considered basketball…

“It wasn’t that I assumed I could not be traded. I form of thought (trade talks) would occur, but I feel it’s going to be more during the season or closer to the trade deadline since the summer has already passed. I used to be a bit shocked by the timing. I used to be definitely completely happy with where I used to be going. “

When the dust settled, Randle was enthusiastic about what was to return in Minnesota for several reasons.

Randle worked with Edwards, certainly one of the NBA’s most enjoyable young superstars, and the Timberwolves advanced to the 2024 Western Conference Finals. To make things easier, Randle reunited with Timberwolves coach Chris Finch, who was an assistant coach with the New Orleans Pelicans when Randle played there during the 2018-19 season.

“It’s crazy because he makes the game so easy,” Randle, 29, said. “His understanding of space, on-ball and off-the-ball motion, sets and things like that, what an excellent and bad shot is. He really simplifies the game. I felt it once I was in New Orleans and I feel it here now. I do not have to force anything…

“Who apart from Finch would I wish to play for? He knows my game so well. When I began eager about this site, I got really excited.

Finch said working with Randle has “helped him a lot” as a coach. Finch added that he had at all times been a “huge fan of Julius” and that Edwards and the remainder of the players would have loved Randle’s durability, passing ability and impact on games.

“I loved Julius when we had him in New Orleans,” Finch told Andscape. “I felt like he was completely happy to return to (Minnesota). I just told him when he was traded, “You’ll like it.” You will love our boys. You will love this technique. We’re going to get the ball in your hands quickly. You can have the opportunity to play your game.

“I even have a reasonably good feeling about it. He told me he liked the freedom and fluidity we showed during the game. He liked it in New Orleans. I just told him repeatedly that we were completely happy to have him.

Randle averaged 24 points and 9.2 rebounds in 46 games during New York’s injury-plagued 2023-24 NBA season. He has the shooting, rebounding and playmaking skills to match Towns’, but in Randle’s debut with the Timberwolves, he scored only 16 points and made only 10 field goal attempts in a 110-103 season-opening loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on October 22.

During the Oct. 24 shooting in Sacramento, Finch was very blunt with Randle, telling him he needed to be aggressive on offense and stop attempting to fit in.

“He neglects too much,” Finch said before the Kings game. “In the previous few days we told him, ‘You should be more aggressive. You should try harder to do your job. We like the incontrovertible fact that you actually attempt to fit in and find yourself just causing plenty of damage to your teammates. But I also imagine that he’ll make the right play and he must proceed to impose himself in the game, be a bit more aggressive.

“This is the best option to do it. Get on the market, be yourself. We will discover about it during the trip. But when you’re talented enough to delay the decision, we now have to do what you do best… So he seems to get this and that message.

Randle proved he understood by dominating against Sacramento: 33 points on 13-of-17 shooting and 5-of-6 three-pointers, along with adding five assists and 4 rebounds in 35 minutes. Tonight, Randle and Edwards also showed they’re a formidable duo.

“Finchy told him (Thursday) morning: ‘Don’t fit in with us. We adapt to you. You’re a star, Ju. Be who you are. And (against Sacramento) that (expletive) was amazing. This is what we need,” Edwards told Andscape.

Randle and Edwards each scored 24 points in the Timberwolves’ 112-101 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Sunday. Edwards told Andscape he is very enthusiastic about what Randle adds to Minnesota.

“It means we can give him the ball, get out of his way and tell him to bring us the bucket. And that’s what we need. Sometimes we go a little overboard with it. Swing. Swing. We are stagnant across the board. We need someone other than me who can go get the bucket. And he showed us that,” Edwards said against Sacramento.

“He does really well on and off the court. He is very happy to be here. The guys really liked him,” Finch said.

Beginning his NBA profession with the Los Angeles Lakers, Randle played with Kobe Bryant, certainly one of the NBA’s biggest players and the Lakers’ all-time leading scorer. Edwards is an Olympic gold medalist and two-time NBA All-Star known for his scoring, high-flying dunks and electric moves.

Is Edwards as intimidating offensively, skillfully and athletically as Bryant?

“I didn’t play with Bean in his prime,” Randle said. “But the mentality is very similar. Without hesitation. Ant gets right to it. He is special. Physically he is talented. In terms of skills, he is talented. Dude is different. There aren’t many players like him.

“Now I see his leadership, charisma and energy. He makes everyone believe. It’s unique.”

After the Timberwolves’ first road trip, Randle joined his wife and two young sons at their recent home outside Minneapolis on Friday. The considered his boys graduating from highschool in New York by early 2025 was out of the query for Randle because “they have to be with me.” He is currently in the third yr of a four-year, $117 million contract with a player option through the 2025-26 season and is open to a contract extension. The Dallas native added that he’s “in a great place” mentally.

Although Randle said he is preparing for the cold winters, he is optimistic about life with the Timberwolves. He believes the changes will likely be good for Minnesota.

“I’m extremely excited from top to bottom,” Randle said. “From life, to organization, to coaching, to the way things are done here. It’s really a breath of fresh air for me… We can be really good. We have to take it one day at a time. But as a group we can be special. If we compete, we can be really good. As good as we want.”