When the New York Knicks traded Julius Randle to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2024, the returning and outgoing packages spoke volumes. Minnesota received Keita Bates-Diop, Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, and a first-round pick, while the Knicks took back Karl-Anthony Towns and James Nnaji's draft rights.
What Randle has thoroughly proven during his time in Minnesota, however, is that he's exactly what neither Knicks fans nor the front office thought he could be: The perfect second option.
Randle arrived in Minnesota as a decorated player whose reputation failed to align with his accolades. He was a two-time All-NBA honoree and three-time All-Star who'd won the 2021 Most Improved Player award and led the Knicks to their first playoff appearance in eight years.