As the Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks made a blockbuster trade, exchanging Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle, question marks have surrounded Randle's health heading into the regular season. On the Hoop Collective Podcast, Tim Bontemps described his initial concerns about Randle's status.
“Now I did think it was interesting,” Bontemps said. “I was texting with our guy (Dave) McMenamin before the game because I saw Julius wasn’t starting and I said ‘Did the Wolves say anything about why Julius wasn’t playing?' He sent me a clip of Julius at a media shoot around access.
“When Dave asked him ‘Hey, what’s the deal with potentially playing today or in the preseason?' Julius just kind of laughed and said “I'm just worried about trying to find a house.” Which, I mean okay but for a guy who is coming off a shoulder injury that required surgery that caused him to be out since January, I didn’t really like hearing a non-answer to a question about whether he’s going to play in the preseason.”
After Randle underwent season-ending surgery in April, he's been out since then and hasn't participated in any basketball activities to the public eye. The Timberwolves perhaps know something the public doesn't with Randle's injury. Still, a non-answer regarding an injury is a bit concerning to hear in the slightest.
Can Julius Randle get healthy in time for the Timberwolves season?
Randle will enter a similar situation he was in with the Knicks. He's playing with an elite guard, a rim-protecting center, and a plethora of solid and consistent role players. On the other hand, the Timberwolves haven't had someone like Randle. They played with a two-center lineup and although it worked, it looked like an uneven fit. Even with the inside-out game between Towns and Rudy Gobert, it simply looked clunky at times.
Now, Randle offers a similar physicality but is a legitimate ball-handler at the four spot. He is a solid playmaker for his position. Someone different bringing the ball up the court can allow Anthony Edwards to play more freely. If he’s healthy, he’ll fit right in at the power forward spot next to Gobert and Jaden McDaniels.
The new-look Timberwolves can present the same inside-out look while adding a layer of ball-handling. It'll be a continuous question until Randle is officially cleared for action. In the meantime, hypothetical scenarios for the former Knicks forward will play out.